What Are You Aiming At?

INTRODUCTION

World Juniors — over the last 2 weeks.

Top 10 international teams from around the world, made up of the most talented men under 20, compete for the gold medal, to be crowned champions of the world.

There are weeks/months of preparation leading up to the tournament as players push themselves to the limit to make the team, coaches analalyze and discuss which players will give the team the greatest chance to win.

All of this effort and energy going into this one single goal, being the best men’s hockey team under 20 in the world.

There is no confusion about what the goal is. Every hit, every shot, every pass, every save, every time someone willingly puts their body in front of a 90 mph slap shot, it’s all striving for the same goal… THE GOLD MEDAL!

As we begin our time together looking at God’s Word, I want to ask you, what are you aiming at? What is your goal/prize/purpose in life? What are you striving for?

Is there an end-goal that fuels all of your decisions, or are you just running around aimlessly?

These international hockey players put their bodies into the strictest of training, all to receive a gold medal that will not last, but we have the promise of a crown that lasts forever.

How much effort and energy are you putting into receiving that crown?

Paul Knew the worth of that crown. This morning we’re going to see the focus and intensity that Paul lived with in order to receive it.

Let’s begin by reading Philippians 3:12-16

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Philippians 3:12–13 ESV

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

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Philippians 3:14–16 ESV

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

BIBLE READING/HEAR JOURNALING

This year we have been encouraging you to join us as a church as we commit to God’s Word in 2023.

We are doing a BIble reading plan called the F260, which doesn’t go through the whole BIble, but 2 chapters a week, 5 days a week.

We have also been encouraging you to learn the HEAR journaling method. It’s a simple way that you can get more out of your Bible reading.

This is actually the way that I prepare my sermons, and as we go through our text this morning I will show you how simple it is so that you can do it yourselves.

The very first thing you do before you open up your BIble is pray. God’s Word is incredible and powerful. He uses it to transform us, so thank Him for it. The truths in the Bible can only be understood as the Holy Spirit teaches them to us, so ask Him to open your eyes, and speak to you as you read.

Then you will open your Bible and read the chapter. Have a pen and notebook beside you so you can take notes, write down questions, and complete your HEAR journal entries.

As you read the passage, keep an eye out for a verse or two that stands out, and then write out the reference, and the passage in your notebook.

We have already read Philippians 3:12-16 here this morning, and we are first going to highlight verse 12.

HIGHLIGHT

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Philippians 3:12 ESV

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

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Strive to Become What You Already Are

EXPLAIN

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Philippians 3:12 ESV

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

EXPLAIN

What is Paul talking about? What has he not yet obtained?

We have to go back to the previous section to get our answer.

Last week Pastor Jake preached on chapter 3:1—11, where Paul emphasizes the fact that salvation is not a result of works. If anybody could be saved by works, it was Paul! Based on the law, he was perfect!

But once he was saved by Christ, all that he thought he had gained became worthless. He gave it all up to pursue Christ, to become like Him… so that…

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Philippians 3:11 ESV

that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

He was willing to give everything up to attain the resurrection from the dead. This was worth more than anything he could possibly achieve in his life from an earthly perspective.

But this is what Paul is saying in v. 12 that he has not yet obtained. He has not yet achieved perfection. He has not reached the goal of the resurrection from the dead.

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Then he says… “but I press on to make it my own,”

Philippians 3:12 ESV

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

He strives for it! He presses on to make it his own! He does everything possible to reach it! That is the goal he is reaching for.

Why? “because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

This was Paul’s motivation. Christ Jesus had made him his own!

Paul was grateful for God’s salvation in his life. He remembered how lost he was, striving for perfection according to the law, boasting in his own accomplishments, working AGAINST the very God he claimed to be working for.

But then, Jesus Christ came into Paul’s life, showed him his sin, called him and set him apart as a minister of His gospel.

Paul was worthy to be tried, condemned, and killed based on his actions, yet he received mercy and grace. He received forgiveness and a new life. Christ Jesus had made Paul his own.

Now Paul was going to live his life STRIVING TO BECOME WHAT HE ALREADY WAS.

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Paul wanted his life on the outside to reflect who he was on the inside.

He thought he had attained righteousness of his own that came from the law, but now he had the righteousness that comes from God, through faith in Christ.

Paul was not perfect, and he was never going to experience that perfection on earth as a man. Perfection is something that can only be achieved in heaven, after death.

But because of all the that Christ had done for him, Paul was going to strive to take ownership of his salvation, because Christ had made him His own.

Last week Pastor Jake showed you all a chart outlining the 3 ways we are saved. I think it’s worth reviewing at this point again.

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Look at the first row...

Justification — We HAVE BEEN saved — from the PENALTY of sin

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Justification is “an act of God whereby He pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of that sinner’s faith in Christ.” We are justified, or declared righteous, at the moment of our salvation.

Romans 10:9 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

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Now look at the second row...

Sanctification — We ARE BEING saved — from the POWER of sin

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Sanctification is “the process by which Christians are set apart for God from the rest of the world, or the process by which Christians are made holy.” This is the effect of obedience to the Word of God in one’s life.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul compares the works of the flesh to the fruit of the Spirit. As we keep in step with the Spirit, He helps us decrease in works of the flesh, and increase in the fruit of the Spirit.

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Finally, look at the third row...

Glorification — We SHALL BE saved — from the PRESENCE of sin

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Glorification is “God’s final removal of sin from the life of the saints so that they stand faultless before Him in glory in eternity”. At Christ’s coming, the glory of God—His honor, praise, majesty, and holiness—will be realized in us; we will have direct and unhindered access to God’s presence, and we will enjoy holy communion with Him throughout eternity.

Colossians 3:4 ESV

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

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It is glorification that Paul has in mind here that he has not yet attained.

He acknowledges that Christ has made him his own. That is justification. He has been saved from the penalty of sin.

But Paul realizes there’s something missing. He still sins, and is imperfect. That is sanctification. By the power of the Spirit Paul is being saved from the power of sin, yet he still sins.

He longs for glorification, where he will be totally free from the presence of sin, and he will be able to experience and enjoy God’s presence.

Paul realizes he is not there yet, but he presses on to make it his own. He does this because Christ Jesus had made him His own.

APPLY

If you have put your hope and trust in Jesus Christ, (you have confessed Jesus as Lord, and have believed that God raised Him from the dead), then you are justified! You have been declared righteous because of your faith in Christ’s sacrifice. Christ has made you His own.

Even though that is who we are in Christ, we will continue to struggle with sin. Jesus said to His disciples that the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Even so, our desire should be to...

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Strive to Become What You Already Are

Once we understand what Christ has done for us, that He has made us His own/He has made us sons and daughters/we are coheirs with Christ, then, even though we still struggle and sin, our aim is live up to the standard of holiness which we have already been declared.

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Holiness is not something we are called upon to do in order that we may become something; it is something we are to do because of what we already are.

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Thinking back to the world junior hockey tournament I mentioned at the beginning of my sermon, and all those players who compete and work so hard to be able to make the team.

Once they make the team, their objective shifts. They are no longer striving to make the team. Now they are striving to help the team accomplish it’s goal, which is winning the Gold medal.

They strive for that goal BECAUSE OF WHO THEY NOW ARE!

THEY ARE THE TEAM! THEY ARE PLAYING FOR THEIR COUNTRY!

If you are a true believer, and have been justified, saved from the penalty of your sin, then Christ Jesus has made you His own!

Now you’re on the team! You’re a child of God! You’re part of the family!

Now you strive to work towards the goal of building God’s kingdom, as we look forward to eternity following the resurrection from the dead!

RESPOND

I’m going to read a passage of scripture that affirms who I am in Christ every morning before I start my day.

This will enable me to live from my relationship with Christ, and the fact that he has made me his own.

Strive to Become What You Already Are

Next, we will see how Paul encouraged the Philippians to…

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Strive to Become What You One Day Will Be

HIGHLIGHT

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Philippians 3:13–14 ESV

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

EXPLAIN

Again, Paul has not yet achieved the goal. He has not yet arrived. This helps assure us of the fact that he’s talking about glorification.

He has been justified by God, declared righteous through his faith in Christ;

He is being sanctified through obedience by the power of the Holy Spirit; BUT,

He has not yet been glorified. He has not experienced perfection. He has not attained the resurrection from the dead.

So what does Paul do? What is his focus from this point on? He says he does one thing.

Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.

Now Paul is not saying he doesn’t remember the past, or that it’s not beneficial to know.

In the beginning of chapter 3 he spent time talking about his former life. In the book of Acts, as well as the letters Paul wrote, we repeatedly read of him sharing his testimony of how God worked in his life in the past.

The past is of great use to us. We believe this every time we open our Bibles and read it. It has the story of creation, and God calling a people to Himself, and His plan of redemption which finds it’s ultimate meaning in Jesus Christ. The past is of utmost importance in determining truth.

Even as we consider the past in our own lives, there is great value in understanding how our past has shaped who we are today. Knowing this can help us make changes and improvements moving forward.

So if Paul is not saying that the past is of no value, then what is he saying?

He is saying that he doesn’t focus on the past. He doesn’t dwell on the past and thereby allow it to stop him from moving forward.

I think there are two obvious ways the past can stop us from progressing.

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Two Ways the Past Can Hinder Us

We can focus on past failures and sin. This paralyzes us, making us unfruitul.

We can focus on past successes. This blinds us from the need to continue moving forward.

Paul could have been hindered by his past in both of these ways.

After his conversion, he could have been disabled by focusing on his past life of sin. How he persecuted Christians, and worked against God.

He could have also become arrogant and proud by focusing on his successes.

But this is not what Paul does. He forgets whats lies behind. He does not allow the past to distract him from the future.

His gaze if fixed on something else. He is straining forward to what lies ahead!

He doesn’t look back to his past works, sacrifices, and sufferings to boast in himself, and put confidence in his flesh.

Neither does he look back to lament his former life of sin, or even the fact that he hasn’t yet achieved his goal.

Paul forgets what is behind, and is straining forward to what lies ahead.

What lies ahead that Paul is straining toward?

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Philippians 3:14 ESV

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

That is his goal! That is the target he is aiming at. That is where he has his eyes fixed.

That is what motivates and drives him.

This is what he thinks about, dreams about, and lives for.

It is the only thing that matters to him.

Nothing else is as important as experiencing resurrection power and being called to heaven by God because of his faith in Christ Jesus.

Paul has not yet arrived, but he doesn’t dwell on that fact, but instead STRIVES FOR WHAT HE ONE DAY WILL BE!

His eyes are fixed on the prize of being called to heaven with Christ.

APPLY

We can get caught dwelling on the past and lose sight of where it is that we’re going.

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Two Ways the Past Can Hinder Us

1. We can focus on past failures and sin.

We dwell on our mistakes, and feel unworthy to be called a Christian. This stops us from enjoying the blessings of the relationship we have with God in Christ.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

2. We can focus on past successes.

We dwell on our victories/acts of obedience/gifts or abilities. This causes us to become arrogant/conceited/self-righteous, causing us to trust in ourselves rather than God.

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

We don’t focus and dwell on the past, what lies behind. We fix our eyes on Christ, and eternity, and strain forward to that goal/prize.

We need to live with that sort of laser like focus and intensity in our lives.

We need to live intentionally, having purpose in everything we do, as we...

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Strive to Become What You One Day Will Be

We must take inventory and realize where we actually are, but then we must make a plan and strive forward to achieving the prize of the upward call of God in Christ.

That is the goal!

ILLUSTRATION: Francis Chan rope illustration.

Let’s imagine this rope doesn’t end. It goes on forever.

Now imagine this rope is a timeline of your existance.

You see this black part? This represents your time on earth.

You’ve got a few short years here on earth, and then you have eternity somewhere else.

And some of you, all you think about is this black part. You’re consumed by it.

“I’m gonna work really hard during this part and save save save, so that I can really enjoy this part.”

You worry about what kind of car you’re going to drive, and what house you will live in, how successful your business will be, whether or not you will be able travel, how well you will eat.

Others of you are focused on the past. You’re focused on all the bad things that have happened to you, and how others have wronged you.

Or your focused on past successes and all the “right” decisions you made.

WHAT ABOUT THIS? WHAT ABOUT THIS? WHAT ABOUT THIS?

The Bible teaches us that what we do with our lives during this little black part determines how I’m going to exist for millions and millions of years, forever.

So why would we live our lives here on earth just trying to make ourselves as comfortable as possible?

Paul says, I’m going to give everything I am, everything I have, giving myself to God’s mission, as I look forward to crossing the finish line.

I’m not going to get caught looking around at everything in this life, because I only get one chance at this life, and then comes eternity.

That’s exactly how we should live!

People are going to look at our decisions and say, “You’re stupid because this is going to affect that.”

“No, you’re stupid because its going to affect all of this!”

We only get one chance at living this life, and then comes eternity.

Let’s not get fooled into dwelling on this little black part, but focus on all of this!

It’s easy for us to get sidetracked by all of the things of this world.

This is a time of year where we look back on all of our successes and failures.

Paul says, “one thing I do… forgetting what lies behind.”

I’m not focussing on the past! That’s worthless and rubbish, compared to knowing Christ.

I’m… “STRAINING FORWARD to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

That’s what I’m focusing on!

That’s what is going to determine my actions here and now!

Among your goals for this coming year, have you considered how you will grow in knowing Christ? The power of his resurrection? Doing everything you can to reach the prize of his presence in the resurrection?

Let’s STRIVE TO BECOME WHAT WE ONE DAY WILL BE

RESPOND

I’m going to schedule an hour block of time this week to sit down and evaluate where I am at spiritually.

Then I am going to set goals for this year in striving to become more like Christ.

STRIVE TO BECOME WHAT YOU ALREADY ARE

STRIVE TO BECOME WHAT YOU ONE DAY WILL BE

Lastly...

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Strive for Gospel Maturity

HIGHLIGHT

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Philippians 3:15–16 ESV

Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

EXPLAIN

Paul is setting the standard for what it means to be mature. Those who are mature will think this way. What way?

Living our lives with the end in mind. Focusing on the goal of the prize of eternity in the presence of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

This way of thinking is the mark of a mature believer in Christ! And Paul wants the Philippians to model this thinking.

Maturity is not:

It is not having reached a certain level of knowledge.

It is not having reached a certain level of obedience to God‘s word.

It is not how much good we do for God.

This would have been the thinking of the Judaizers who Paul was warning them to watch out for.

True Christian Maturity is...

a desire to strive for the upward call of God in Christ.

When that is our desire, our aim, our focus, then we are acting as mature believers.

This means that a believer can be mature at any level of his Christian walk.

At any level of our Christian faith, as we put our faith in Christ and realize that nothing is more important than knowing Him and make it our aim to know Him, we are acting in maturity.

Then Paul goes on to make this interesting statement, “and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.”

Paul is writing to his close friends. We’ve already noted a few times during this series that this is the most personal he writes to any church.

But this statement causes us to wonder if he was expecting anyone to disagree with him.

Paul does not mention any specific disagreement that he has in mind, nor does he seem to concerned about it. It comes across in a very non-chalant way.

This seems to suggest Paul’s assumption that the Philippians will listen to his advice, and if there are any slight disagreements, he is trusting that God will open their eyes to the truth.

However, he calls on them to hold true to what has already been taught and attained.

Whatever minor disagreements there may be, he does not make allowance for drifting away from the core doctrines of the faith.

You cannot deviate from God’s truth.

The gospel had been brought and taught to them by Paul, they had accepted it, and it was necessary for them to remain committed to it.

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APPLY

We can tend to think that maturity is knowing a lot about the subject, and being able to argue at well.

But we need to strive for the maturity that calls us to the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

We must...

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Strive for Gospel Maturity

This means recognizing that our righteousness comes from God through faith in Christ. We are dependant on God, and owe everything we have to Him.

Therefore we live our lives in worship to Him, in obedience to His commands, as we focus on the goal of eternity in God’s presence.

While we live here on earth, we strive for unity in the church with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, holding fast to the truth of God‘s word, as we seek to build one another up in Christ, reminding one another to focus our eyes on Jesus.

Sometimes brothers and sisters in Christ will disagree on certain issues. That’s okay, as long as they are not core issues that compromise the gospel message.

I’m not saying those issues are not important, simply that insofar as you agree on the same core beliefs, believers should strive for unity.

Disagreement on secondary, and tertiary issues is not a dealbreaker.

When it comes to the deity of Christ, the Trinity, righteousness through faith alone, or any other core doctrine, we cannot remain in fellowship with someone who strays from biblical teaching.

But we may disagree on immersion/pouring, when the rapture will take place, speaking in tongues, or other secondary issues, and we can still have fellowship as believers.

These are not salvation issues.

Our focus should not be learning our argument better so we can defend it and win, but our focus should to be striving to know Jesus better.

Striving to know the importance of the gospel better.

Striving toward the upward call of God in Christ, and pointing others to live for eternity as well.

RESPOND

I will make it my aim to strive and focus on Christ. To work towards unity in the church.

I will find ways to actively engage in the church, for the building up of others, as we help one another achieve this goal.

As we begin this New Year, rather than focusing on the temporary things of this world which will pass away, let’s focus on the eternal things which last forever.

Let’s run the race God has set before us with purpose.

Our eyes fixed on the finish line, as we look forward to enjoying Christ, and all the that He has blessed us with, forever!