The Race

So I feel like I tell this story once a year but a lot of you know by now that I have ran a marathon. This was back when I was in shape

And this was my first time ever running one and so I did not know what to expect

But one thing they tell you to do is write your name on your shirt so people will cheer for you.

And so they have you start by this long tunnel and you as you run out of this tunnel all the sudden there are thousands of people cheering for you

And I mean it is row and rows of people.

And so strangers are yelling your name, little kids are giving you high fives.

And the amount of adrenaline that you get skyrockets because it now feels like I am in the Superbowl

And so I did something that was not a smart move. I began to go fast.

I mean I was passing people right and left

In fact if you are a runner or used to run I started out with the first few miles being 7 and 8 minute miles

Which is really fast for someone running there first marathon

and so what happened is as the race continued I kept of the pace until about half way

And there was a point at the halfway mark where I just made the realization of what in the world am I doing.

And eventually I hit the 16 mile mark

then the 18, then the 20

And I do not remember the exact point but at somepoint I was stuck at a 20 some mile mark and was just holding up myself on a light pole

And a man ran into the middle of the race and grabbed me by the shoulders and started yelling at me to keep going.

And the last few miles were a little bit of a blur, but I was dead.

I ran through china town and I did not remember running through china town.

But you know if you are in a race, how you run it is really important isn’t it?

And really throughout Pauls letter but speciufically today Paul is talking about how His life is like race.

And more really what he is communicating is each of our lives are like races.

And lot of times what happens is as we run our race, we get distracted where we start to focus on what happens now, or focus on the people chanting our name and we forget the end goal.

And so today Pauls focus is how are we running the race we call life.

How are we living, what are the things that are shaping us, How are we encouraged,

And so we are in Philippians 3:12-21 and if you have been with us we have been in this series called five years from now.

And throughout this series we have been focusing on who do we want to be in the future.

And the theme is while we have goals and things we want to do, or places we want to go, the main thing is we want to be a people that are leaning into who God has called us to be more and more each day.

And so we will be continuing this today and we will just be starting in verses 12 through the first half of verse 13 and it says this:

Philippians 3:12–13 (ESV)

Straining Toward the Goal

12 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. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own…

So this first part Paul is talking about being like Jesus. And in a way Paul is saying the race of life is not necessarily saying I want to accomplish this or I want to buy a new house or have 5 kids, or even help grow a ministry (although those things are great)

But Paul is saying the goal of our life is to look more like Jesus.

And so the question is how are we becoming people that look more like Jesus?

And heres the thing because Paul recognizes this is usually not an overnight thing.

In fact he is saying this is something where God is still working on me.

In a way its almost like if I asked each one of us to draw a picture of what Jesus looked like.

It would start with something that would look like this: (show different pictures progressivly getting better)

And then I said okay now do it every day.

The next day your picture would look a little better

Then the next day even better

And eventually you would probably begin to paint these beautiful pictures.

Because you have been painting Jesus for so long.

And I just have to say this because in our walk with God we often start out like the stick figure, where yeah that Jesus, but it could use some work.

And overtime after leaning into God and working on becoming like Him every day and every moment we begin to look more and more like Jesus.

But we have to say yes daily.

And I love this because at the end of verse 12 and going to verse 13 because Paul is not saying this is not because of how great I am, but He is going this is because that Christ has come in a drastically changed my life.

And now He has made me my own so how could I not give my all to Him.

Its almost if you have ever worked for a really good employer

Because if you absolutely love an employer, where they just support you you re going to say how could I do my best for them.

And Paul is going Jesus has done something so much more, how could we not give our life.

And lets keep moving because look at the next few verses in the second half of verse 13 going to 16. It says:

13… But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

So Paul says that when he moved onto accepting Christ and becoming more like him

But if you know Pauls story before he was a Christian He actually persecuted Christians.

And this was something Paul did that ruined lives.

And Paul tells us how he kept racing in the middle of this mess he created.

Because the first thing that we read, he says I have forgotten what is behind me and move forward to what lies ahead.

But and I want you to get this because Paul is not saying the past does not matter

In fact if you think about our past it does matter, I mean when I was running a marathon, I ran it very badly right?

And I felt the effects of that later.

But there is no reason to sit there and go wow I am the worse. What was I thinking

Because we should not sit there and dwell in the past but we should continue to strive towards the people that Christ has called us to be.

And that does not mean ignoring the past, in fact Paul probably had some people that He needed to reconcile with, but He continued to move toward who Christ had called Him to be and move away from the person He used to be.

We need a people that we say how can I cut away from the old and enter into the new place that God is calling me.

And I want you to catch this next part that Paul says because Paul says something very intimidating in verse 17. He says:

Philippians 3:17 ESV

17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

Did you catch the weight of what he said. He says join in imitating me and not just that, but also imitating the other saints of the church who have walked with God for long periods.

And here is the thing because its a scary thing to say imitate me.

I am not sure if anyone has ever had this happen but when your kids are little like mine and they begin to do this thing where you say something and they begin to imitate it.

Not just that but you do something and they b egin to say it.

I used to jump over the couch like I was a teenager, guess what the boys started doing it.

And its funny until you go what else are they seeing me do???

They see when I am driving to fast and hit the brakes when I see an officer (sorry Francis)

They see what I do when I am angry

They see how I treat a person in need

They see how I react to stressful situation

They see my walk with God on a Sunday and on a Monday

And all the sudden it becomes this scary realization that they are learning from me.

And I have to say this whether you are a parent or not there are people that look up to you.

People that watch you when you do not even know.

And this is a big deal. Do you feel like you could say what Paul says when he says “join in imitating me?”

And if not maybe the next question is who are we imitating?

Because we are all imetating something

Whether its a way a parent acted and we carry that trait

Or if its something that seemed like it got someone else far and we thought lets do it, and we know its not right.

What would it look like to first off immitate Christ but then also look at the the lives of those who haave faithfully walked with Him, and go how could I be like that.

How could I be like St. Teresa who took care of the poor

How could I be like my mentor who served faithfully at in different ministry his entire life

How can I be like saints in this church that have gone to be with the Lord that did things that maybe no one knew about and did it faithfully.

How can we be like that person you might be thinking of right now that made an impact on your life.

And let me read just this last part in verses 18-21 because this is how Paul finishes today:

Philippians 3:18–4:1 ESV

18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. 1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

You know Paul finishes by saying your citezenship is not here, but you belong as a citezen in heaven.

And He says begin to long for the crown.

Begin to long for not just we get to go to heaven and thats great.

But He is going work right now so that you can bring heaven down now.

And He tells us the secret in that last verse that He goes back to almost every week.

Stand firm in the Lord.

And so as we close today can I just ask what would it look like for us to stand firm in the race, and keep our eyes on God.

Will you pray with me?