Parkland Lodge

Philippians 3:12-14

The book of Philippians is known as a prison epistle. It was a letter that Paul the apostle wrote from prison in Rome. He was under house arrest.

As he is writing, he is telling them how he used to put confidence in who he was, and how well he knew the Law and followed it.

When he met Jesus on the road to Damascus everything changed. Instead of persecuting Christians, he became one. Once he believed that Jesus died for him, he was no longer accepted by his people.

Can you imagine being rejected by your own people, to be ostracized and even persecuted by those who once held you in esteem. Paul, who was once known as Saul of Tarsus had lost everything he held dear.

Philippians 3:8–11 NIV

8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

To Paul, nothing was worth more than knowing Jesus Christ as his Lord. He had suffered much, but he was willing to suffer for the gospel. He was willing to suffer to tell people that Jesus had died for them, and that He loved them. Jesus not only died for people in Paul’s day, Jesus loves you and He died for people like you and me.

Jesus’ death paid the price for our sin, and when we participate in His death, it means that we die to sin and our old nature.

Let’s read verses 10-11 as we move into our verses today.

Philippians 3:10–11 NIV

10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Paul believed that Jesus changes our hearts and that one day, after we die that our bodies that are in the ground will be raised to life.

Then he writes the next three verses.

Philippians 3:12–14 NIV

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Even though Paul hadn’t yet reached his goal, he was looking forward to it.

Australia has two animals on its Coat of Arms: the Emu and the Kangaroo. In each case neither of these animals are built to go backwards.

He pressed to take hold of thaf for which Christ Jesus had taken hold of him. When we surrender to Christ, He takes hold of us. He has the power to keep us.

2 Timothy 1:12 NKJV

12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

In Hebrews 11, the writer talks about Abraham, and he said this,

Hebrews 11:10 NLT

10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

There is only one city with eternal foundations and that’s heaven, but to get there, we can’t look backwards.

Forgetting what is behind

Many times, we can let our past define us. If we look at our past failures, and allow them to define us, we may be too afraid to try again.

Satan wants to put thoughts of condemnation in our heads that say God can’t forgive what you have done. He will tell us lies to make us think that God can’t use us anymore, but we are not defined by our ability or even what others think. We are not defined by our past sins. What really matters is what God thinks of us.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

G. Campbell Morgan was a famous Bible teacher. Before he could become a pastor, he had to preach a short message. The were 150 students vying for 45 positions.

Campbell received word in two weeks he was REJECTED, HE WAS TOLD HE SHOWED “NO PROMISE!” Campbell Morgan’s name was one of the 105 rejected ministers that year. (SC)

G. Campbell Morgan was devastated when he sent the telegram to his father that said, “Rejected.”

I think most of us here could look back to times in our lives where we have been rejected. Maybe it was for a loan, or a job, or we just weren’t in the in crowd. Each of us have suffered loss, but earthly setbacks won’t keep us from our eternal reward.

I like what G. Campbell Morgan’s dad responded. “REJECTED ON EARTH. ACCEPTED IN HEAVEN. DAD.”

If we let our past define us, we will never

Strain toward what is ahead.

If you have ever ran at Field day. You would give it your best shot and you would strain toward the Finish Line. With everything that we have, let’s strain towards the prize, spending eternity with God. Very few people don’th believe that there is more after this life, Heaven is one ting, but spending eternity with Jesus will be worth it all. In that Great city, there will be no sorrow, there will be no pain, there will be no death, and we will see Christ.

To close,

Commentator Gordon Fee recalls the famous “miracle mile,” the first time two milers ran under four minutes in the same race. Roger Bannister and John Landy competed in Vancouver, B.C. in 1954. Landy had led all the way, but coming off the final turn toward the finish line he looked over his shoulder to find out where Bannister was, only to be passed on the other side and beaten to the tape!

[Gordon Fee, “Philippians,” IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), 155.]

You can’t worry about what is behind you. You need to lean into the run and give it all you got, keeping your gaze on the finish. And what a finish it will be. What is our goal? What is the prize? It is the heavenward calling of God in Christ Jesus! There is nothing finer. Heaven will make it all worth it, you just wait and see! (Kerry Haynes)