I Press Toward the Mark

Philippians 3:12-17

We started last week a new short series entitled “Coffee Mug Christianity: Bringing Clarity to Cliches.”

Today we are going to a verse which has become cliche in the Christian world.

In the context of chapter 3, Paul is warning the church at Philippi about false teachers…He says beware of dogs.

Then he goes on to give a case for the church to follow his example.

He hasn't achieved perfection, he says, yet he follows after the truth.

He is working hard for the Lord and serving faithfully.

As members of God’s family we enter into our family life, including our tasks and chores!

Together we work in love and freedom with the goal to worship Christ through our works for Him.

Imagine your own family.

Did your children - whether born into your family, or adopted - do anything to earn their place?

Of course not!

There is nothing we can do to earn the love of our parents or a place in our family, whether human family or the family of our Father in Heaven.

And yet this doesn’t mean our children are allowed to sit around playing video games all day!

When we pass out the chore list, they don’t answer back, “But I’m in this family by grace and not by merit of works.”

“True! And now that you are a part of this family, there is work to do! Everybody needs to get involved!”

We were adopted into Christ’s family while we were dead in our sins.

There is nothing we could have done to earn our way in or deserve God’s love.

Still, now that we’re here, made alive in Christ and adopted into the family of God, there is work to do!

So Paul here is speaking to the family of God, and he uses himself as an example.

He hasn’t arrived - He isn’t perfect - But he is striving to be perfect, so he get’s busy!

I believe we can follow Paul’s example, as he himself said, “be followers together of me...”

I want to look at this well known and often quoted verse in context and see three Important Steps to Follow so that we may Get Busy for our Lord.

I. Keep Humbling Your Self

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

It is often said, humility is not thinking poorly of yourself, but rather not thinking of yourself at all.

In this case it is a realistic look at your reality.

Paul says, i have not already attained.

This wording is picturesque of the games that the church at Philippi would be familiar with.

They had not attained the victors crown, a picture of perfection.

The first step you must follow Paul’s example is to realize that...

A. You Haven’t Arrived

v12a - “Not as though i had already attained, either were already perfect:”

The word perfect literally means mature, to bring to a full end.

Reached the pinnacle maturity that is possible.

Paul says I’m not there at that level of perfection.

We need to humble ourselves and realize we have a lot to learn still!

I’m amazed at how many Christians, once they have learned some things, become so judgmental.

Instead we need to do as Ephesians 4:2 says

Ephesians 4:2 KJV

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

We will do no good for God, if we do not keep our selves humble.

But Paul says, even though he know he is not perfect, he isn’t satisfied staying in that position!

So next we need to...

B. Keep Pursuing Perfection

v.12 b “but I follow after, if that I may apprehend”

Paul says he isn’t perfect, but he’s never going to stop trying!

Why?

Because the failure of the Christian is one of the most damaging things to the work of Christ.

Pastor Juan Carlos Ortiz in a magazine article illustrated this working for God in a sin cursed vessel to the imagery of a trapeze artist who trust int he nets below her.

Of course the presence of the net does not stop her form working with strength and beauty—she works with even more skill because the net is there.

She tries to push the limits of her balance because she know that the net is there.

Oritz says, “in Christ…the whole world should be able to watch and say, ‘Look how they live, how they love one another. Look how well the husbands treat their wives. And aren’t they the best workers in the factories and office, the best neighbors, the best students?” When we fail and fall, the net is there; we get back up and start doing our best work for Christ once more.”

Paul knew he had failed to reach perfection, but he kept striving for it.

Galatians 6:9 KJV

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

And So, we need to realize that you haven’t arrived yet but we need to keep striving for right living and being mature, and then he reminds us why we do this…He says...

C. This Is Your Calling

v.12 c “if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

apprehend=In allusion to the public games, to obtain the prize with the idea of eager and strenuous exertion, to grasp, seize upon

I am apprehended of Christ Jesus = Christ has won me, bought me, he has declared me righteous.

So we strive to live up to the calling that God has already given us.

Ephesians 4:1 KJV

1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

This word vocation is literally the calling.

Paul tells the church at Ephesus “live up to your name!”

This world hates us...

John 15:18–19 KJV

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

This is not going to change - But please…let’s not give them the ammunition to shoot us!

Keep Humbling Yourself is the first Important step you need to follow to be successful in this Work for the Lord.

Secondly...

II. Keep Progressing Your Walk

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul says he is pressing toward the mark for the prize.

The imagery is the runner in the race who has the finish line in sight, not just to finish, but to finish first - perfection is the goal.

But in order to do this there is some things we need to do...

A. Forget Your Past

“I count not myself to have apprehended: but his one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind...”

I haven’t run track very much, but one thing I do know...If a runner on a track is more worried about where he has been rather than on where he is going he will run outside of his lane and be disqualified.

Forget those things which are behind!

There are a couple of applications here I believe!

1. Forget Your Mistakes

The devil would love nothing more than to sit on your shoulders as run this race and remind you of all your past mistakes!

“Remember when you tripped right as the gun went off.”

“Remember when you misstepped back there, how embarrassing!”

“This is a long track. What makes you think you can finish when you failed so many times before?”

Use your double edged sword against him, Quote the Bible!

Philippians 4:13 KJV

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

2 Corinthians 4:16 KJV

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Philippians 1:6 KJV

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Proverbs 24:16 KJV

16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: But the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Psalm 73:26 KJV

26 My flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

1 John 1:9 KJV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Forget your mistakes, but also...

2. Forget Other Runners

"I wonder where the other runners are.”

“Are they catching up to me?”

2 Corinthians 10:12 KJV

12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

This is not a competition with each other—it is a competition with ourselves! Our Old Man!

Yes, even in this passage, we see Paul tell us to follow examples.

But not for comparison, not for our entire focus, but for motivation.

Where they succeed, learn from it, use it to motivate you…where they fail get you eyes off them and keep it on Christ.

Forget your Past…Forget Other Runners, and thirdly...

3. Forget the Good Old Days

“Remember when I turned that first corner, whew those were the good parts of the race! I had so much energy then.”

“Remember that race I ran at the other church? Boy was that a good running environment.”

“Remember those success I had earlier as I passed all those other runners…boy things were good then.”

Forget the past - Look to the Future!

One of the challenges of coming to a church that is as old as ours is we tend to look backward to our history more than we look forward to our future!

I believe with all of my heart that the best days of this church is ahead of us!

But for that to be true we all have to...

B. Move Forward

"forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

The Bible says we have to reach forth to those things which are before.

That speaks of effort, it speaks of work!

The Greek word here means to Grow, advance forward.

If we want this church to grow we have work for it!

To press toward the mark - means to pursue the goal.

Let me tell you, if you are waiting for pastor to grow this church…you are going to wait for a long time!

It is God that builds the church

In the Bible you see God adding to the church when the people are busy doing what they are supposed to do…Studying, praying, Reaching out to those around them, Winning souls, teaching, discipling!

Maybe you cannot teach Sunday School every week, but maybe you can sit with a new Christian and disciple them over a cup of coffee!

Move forward today!

We have seen two of the three Important Steps that we need to take today in order to accomplish what God has for us here:

We need to Keep Humbling Our Selves

and We need to Keep Progressing Our Walk

Now thirdly let’s see in verses 15-17, Paul’s exhortation to...

III. Keep Exemplifying Your Lord

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

“Well, pastor, he said those who are perfect needs to do this! That means I’m out.”

No, if that was what it meant, then we would all be out, including probably the greatest Christian who has ever lived, Paul!

No, He is saying we need to Keep pressing toward that high Call that God has given us.

In order to do this we need to do some things, we’ll look at these quickly...

A. Remember You’re Still Learning

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

He said that are mature, if you have some spiritual maturity in you, some growth…get busy for the Lord!

But don’t get prideful…remember you are still learning!

Even in this verse he says if you think differently…that’s ok you are still learning.

You just need to...

B. Stay Open to the Lord

v. 15b - “God shall reveal even this unto you.”

Just stay teachable, let the Lord show you where you are going wrong, and be willing to correct it.

We all need a course correction once in a while.

There have been times when I was dogmatic about something I believed, and that belief was actually hurting people around me.

When I became open and teachable, the Lord showed me a loving way I can stand for right, and be right.

Things have changed a lot since I came.

You have been very open to the Lord’s leading your pastor.

If you don’t agree with something I do, pray that the Lord will show either you or me the true and right way.

And let’s both be open to God’s leading!

Stay Open with the Lord, and ...

C. Keep Doing What You Learned

16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Sometimes when we learn something new we focus on that and stop doing what have learned in the past.

We add to our walk with God the various disciplines, not replace.

We need to read the Bible

We need to meditate on Scripture

WE need to memorize the Word

We need to spend time in prayer

We need to fast at times to seek God’s help

We need to fellowship with each other

But if we focus only on one area, we become lopsided.

Keep doing what you learned and move forward with whatever else God wants you to add.

D. Follow with Me

17 Brethren, be followers together of me...

I believe God works through the Man of God to lead a church the direction He wants us to go.

He has always used a leader to direct His people to do great things.

That humbles me greatly!

But nevertheless, like Paul cry out - be followers together of me!

Do as I do!

I will fail, but as I get back up and keep moving forward, follow!

We should be closer to the Lord today than we were yesterday!

Get back to where you once were, and follow me to keep growing in the Lord.

And then lastly be willing to...

E. Learn from Others

17b...mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Mark them = meaning to spy out, look towards an object, to contemplate, give attention to, to observe.

walk - The manner in which one lives their life.

If you see someone who has a good testimony follow after them.

IN this race, we see other runners running with, some are ahead and some are behind.

But we do not compete with them.

But we can learn from them.

“Look at that runners form, what is he doing that’s making him successful?”

One running expert suggested that one of many ways to run faster is to count your strides.

Run for 30 seconds at a pace you can sustain for a distance.

Count each time your right foot hits the ground.

Run for 30 seconds at that pace, then jog for 30 seconds.

When you start running again try to increase your count within the next 30 seconds.

See what is working for you and try to make it better.

How can I read the Bible better than I did this year?

How can I pray more consistently than I did this year?

How can I disciple someone better than I did this year?

How can I attend church more faithfully than I did this year?

How can I in this next season of my life press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God?

Openly and honestly ask the Lord to show you and give you a vision for your walk and work for Him in coming days!