Forward Focus: Leaving Behind, Pressing Ahead

**Bible Passage:** Philippians 3:12-16

As a decathlete, I competed in ten track and field events over the span of two days— each mark was judged on a common scoring table for all athletes, and the winner was the person who scored the highest point total over the ten events combined.

This passage today is a set of verses I would take with me to each competition— they may have been taken in two ways— when I performed poorly— I couldn’t give up, because I still had events ahead of me to compete in. And also if I scored very WELL, I needed to remember this verse, since I couldn’t stop there, and needed to always focus my energy toward the future.

That applies to us in our lives today. No matter what 2024 has been for you— really good, or really quite poor— these verses today will help us both individually, and as a church community reflect back, but also press on into our future— both in 2025, but also into the long term.

Big Idea: Our past does not define us; Christ gives us everything we need to move forward toward His purpose.

It’s the last Sunday of the year 2024. It’s a fifth Sunday where we want to participate in communion also. (It also happens to be my 55th birthday.) That’s a big day.!

We will begin a new series entitled: Walking Together: the Power of Mentorship next week— but just as an intermediate Sunday in the middle of that and the Christmas/advent series, I want to speak to you about one of my favorite sections of scripture today.

Background:

- Paul writes from challenging circumstances, most likely imprisonment

He expresses an example of profound spiritual resilience beyond personal circumstances or setbacks or challenges.

Offers a model for our faith that moves beyond the past, and focuses us on the future.

We pick this up in the middle of a thought really— so I may need to give us some background:

Philippians 3:12 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.

What is the “this”?

-Generally it’s “knowing Jesus”. If you read earlier in the passage - he states that although he has a great deal to brag about in his past— he was a proper Jewish person— he counted it all as loss in comparison to knowing Jesus— and even knowing Jesus through suffering. Good times and bad times. That’s another way that Paul is saying I want to be like Jesus. That’s a great goal in life right? I love the way he starts here:

Not that I’ve already attained all this— like not that I’m completely like Jesus, but i press on. I have not arrived. I have an overarching, overriding desire to be like Jesus.

Even though Paul was pretty impressive, he states that he has not attained it. And if Paul hasn’t attained it— and is willing to admit it… I think we should take note and do the same.

I think that’s really important— especially for any of us who are in leadership, teaching, coaching, preaching— a humility should permeate our lives: And that’s the overriding principle that should characterize even our whole church. An acknowledgement that we haven’t arrived yet.

In fact that’s the first point I want to make with you today:

1. Reflect on your past, but do not obsess over it. (v.12)

Philippians 3:12 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.

I love the second part of this verse—

We may need to think about that “that”.

It’s a great way to write it. I’m pressing on to obtain the thing that motivated Jesus to take a hold of me.

Why did Jesus take a hold of you? There are several ways we can answer that— but I would submit to you that Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. He did not come to condemn the world, but came to redeem the world.

So Paul is pressing on toward being redeemed. To press on to become what Jesus plans for you to be.

The words “press on” here are also notable. It’s the Greek word “DIOKO”. But he also used that word in chapter 3:6 when he was describing how he persecuted the church— he was “pressing on” toward all the wrong things. Mistakenly.

he continues to complete the picture here: He continues to define what “pressing on” means.

Philippians 3:13 NIV

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,

Philippians 3:14 NIV

14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

A. Building our relationship with Jesus requires focus and perspective. (v.14)

There are plenty of athletic references in the bible—Paul lived in a time where the Olympic games type of contests were popular. He understood the object lesson that running and competing would be for life.

You cannot successfully run forward if you are looking back! That’s common sense. So, even Paul, with the horrible mistakes that he had, with all the wonderful kingdom work he had accomplished, he didn’t not let the past become too much of a focus. Forgetting what is behind— he presses on toward the goal. Like a runner, straining for the finish line.

1. Forget what is behind.

It’s not really forgetting— it’s more an effort to keep the past from dictating the man that he will be. Too many people today as if the past is everything. It has defined them. What we hear from them, sounds a lot like prison— They relive all that hardship, or trauma— They continually remind themselves that these things shape who they are today. I don’t want you to think that your past doesn’t have significance— I’m not minimizing what you’ve experienced, but Paul is suggesting here that we cannot let the past dominate our focus today.

You may not have had any control over what happened to you in the past— but you do have control over what you do today and tomorrow. Jesus empowers us to move forward.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

The devil wants you to stay right where you were. Greater is He that is in you— than he that is in the world.

You cannot constantly be looking back.

2. Strain forward to what is ahead

Isaiah 43:18–19 NIV

18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

If we dwell on the past, we will miss what God is doing in the future. Even as a church body— we may fall into this. Sometimes we can dwell on either the really bad things— or even rest in the really good things. I think a very good reason we may do that— is because we don’t actually know what the future holds!

I can relate with that. As I’m getting older, I think I can get a little too satisfied with average.

Sometimes when I coached athletes, particularly throwers, they would come and say “gosh how can I throw further?” Many times, I would be snarky and joke with them:

You need to throw the shot put so it lands further away from your feet. Ha Ha— thanks Coach Obvious.

We would then work with the athlete to understand that throwing the shot put, or any other implement is a very violent thing to do. Most of the time, throwers still worry about what they look like.

There needs to be a straining. An urgency to what we are doing.

That’s the throwing events— you don’t take that same attitude into the marathon. Coach Beachy will tell you that runners need to manage their entire race. The whole thing is the work of art. Not just the beginning, or the end. You don’t want to be that person who leads the first 2/3 of the race, and then crashes and comes in last? Boy they really looked great in the beginning, but oops what happened.

As a decathlete, we actually wanted to just be average in every event. That’s how we would be most successful in the end, but I don’t think that’s what God intends for us — I think there should be a straining, an urgency, a passion to improve and grow. Even as a church— we are looking forward, and our leaders are planning to engage all of us in some conversation about the future. We are going to spend time praying and seeking God’s guidance. Straining and disciplining ourselves to reach for everything that God has planned for us.

Even though you and I can’t see the actual details of the future— we are straining with God and each other because we know the one who does hold the future. jesus, I want to go forward with you!

3. Press on toward the goal

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

What is the goal God has for your life? What good works has He prepared for you?

What about us as a church? What good works has God prepared for Walnut Creek to accomplish?

Think about the 100m sprint. Or any sprint race really— the officials will often place a ribbon or string across the finish line— If we were at a race where that was the situation, I would always coach my sprinters to focus on that ribbon. Nothing else matters in that race.

What is your ribbon at the finish? Focus on that— all the distractions, all the confusion, block all that out and press on to that goal.

When we get to that finish line of life— everything is going to be different. We sometimes forget that. This isn’t the end.

To understand what Jesus’ goal for you is— that is a motivator for us to press on and strive toward that also.

- Invite congregation to silently acknowledge personal failures, challenges and difficult things we have experienced this year.

Were there failures in your past this year?

Just make a little note of those in your mind, or on the margin.

Philippians 3:15 NIV

15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

2. **Pursuing Heavenly Purpose: The Race of Faith** (Philippians 3:14)

- Metaphor of a spiritual race emphasizing:

* Tenacity

* Focus

* Ultimate spiritual growth in Christ

**Practical Goal-Setting Component:**

- Encourage congregants to:

* Write three specific spiritual growth goals

* Identify potential distractions

* Commit to a focused spiritual discipline

**Spiritual Resilience Strategies:**

- Keeping eyes fixed on Christ as the ultimate prize

- Developing spiritual muscle through consistent pursuit

**Scripture Reinforcement:**

- Hebrews 12:1-2 - "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus"

- Proverbs 16:3 - "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans"

3. **Promoting Spiritual Unity: Growing Together** (Philippians 3:15-16)

- Emphasize the collective nature of spiritual growth

- Call for a shared mindset among believers

**Community Growth Principles:**

- Faith journey is not solitary but a collective effort

- Importance of mutual support and accountability

- Building each other up in Christ-centered community

**Practical Unity Initiatives:**

- Encourage accountability partnerships and groups

- Create opportunities for spiritual mentorship

- Develop small group support systems

**Scripture Connections:**

- Hebrews 10:24-25 - "Spur one another on toward love and good deeds"

- Ephesians 4:15-16 - "Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ"

**Closing Challenge:**

- Provide a "Spiritual Journey Commitment Card"

- Invite congregation to:

* Identify one past failure to release

* Set a specific spiritual growth goal

* Commit to community support

**Theological Reflection:**

- Divine grace empowers human responsibility

- Transformation is ongoing, not a one-time event

- Christ remains the constant in our changing journey

- Isaiah 43:18-19 - "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!"

**Potential Closing Illustration:**

[A narrative that embodies spiritual renewal, forward movement, and Christ-centered transformation]