Understanding the Endgame

Introduction

-What’s the goal of football? Score touchdowns until time is out and win the game. What’s the goal of basketball? Shoot basket after basket until time runs out and you win. What’s the point of soccer? Score as many goals during the time as possible and win. The goal of sports is quite simple, even if there are some complicated aspects.

What’s the goal of your life? What’s your purpose? The apostle Paul gives us the goal of life (Philippians 3).

I. Evil Distractions (v. 1-3)

A. v. 1: “Rejoice in the Lord” could be the summary of the book of Philippians (in one word, the theme of the book is joy). Paul has no qualm saying the same thing over and over: it’ll help them remember it. Illus. when we pray with our kids I use a similar phrase at the end of almost all the prayers, “Thank you for Jesus who died on the cross to save us from our sins and rose from the dead to give us eternal life.” It’s not super catchy but the more I say it the stronger that memory will be. The other night I didn’t say that, I simply said, “Thank you for Jesus” and ended the prayer but Jane said, “Daddy, you didn’t say the cross.” So, I said it. If they don’t remember anything else I want them to take that truth with them for the rest of their lives because it will transform them. Paul wanted the Philippians to remember to rejoice in the Lord because it’s a safeguard (word literally means truth or certain).

B. Why do we need certainty about joy in the Lord? Because there are evil workers and deceivers (v. 2). “false circumcision” literally translated means mutilation. Up to this point we’ve discussed the devil and his demons and their work on the spiritual plain to tempt our flesh and deceive our minds. One of the devil’s tactics is to use real people.

1. The Egyptians had such an impact on the Hebrews that they formed a golden calf and worshiped it while Moses was receiving the 10 commandments. They walked on dry ground through the Red Sea, witnessed the 10 plagues, and witnessed God’s presence on Mt. Sinai. Yet, they were led astray by people and their false gods. Job was stricken. His body covered in boils, lost his kids, lost his wealth, and his friends (who came to comfort him) ended up trying to convince him that he was a wretched sinner, that’s why he lost everything. Yet, we learn at the end of the book that his friends were wrong but they were actively trying to lead him down a bad path. Was it not Judas Iscariot who chose to do the devil’s work and betray Jesus into the hands of godless men who killed the Son of God? Satan loves to use people to accomplish his work of destroying God’s people.

2. Beware (be very careful) of dogs (treat what is holy with contempt) and those who practice evil continually, also, those who do religious stuff but it isn’t Godly stuff. They lead you down a dark path. “Bad company corrupts good morals”

C. Paul flips the script. Instead of becoming depressed and shameful for falsehood and being anxious while looking out for failure, he says “rejoice in the Lord.” Don’t focus on the evil, focus on Christ (v. 3). We aren’t evil, we aren’t fake Christians, we aren’t mutilated (following false religions), we are true people of God. We don’t worship by our own strength but in Spirit and in truth. We have the glory of Christ, all of our confidence is in Him. So, rejoice in the Lord.

II. Our Reality and Our Goal (v. 4-14)

A. You know where we often go wrong? We rejoice in our accomplishments (v. 4-6). I am a 4th generation preacher, been the minister at the Roann Christian Church for nearly 8 years (crushing the average ministry of a preacher of 3 years), have 3 kids, and get to talk about the Bible (the very thing I love to do) every week. But you know what that gets me spiritually? Prideful and stricter scrutiny (James 3:1 “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”).

1. How many of us look at daily Bible reading and say, “I’ve read my Bible everyday for a month!” with the emphasis on “I read.” Instead of the emphasis on “my daily Bible reading connects me to God.” Or, we witness firsthand a prayer we prayed get answered and we say, “I prayed about that.” Instead of “Look at how God answered my prayer.” We might have a good streak in church attendance or give more than others in the offering plate. But if the focus is not on God for why we do communion, go to church, give, and more, then Satan gets what he wants. A self-focused worship where we are our own god instead of the Lord being our God.

2. Paul makes that very same argument. You think you have something to write home about? Look at Paul’s credentials. A faithful Jew, a zealot for the Law, blameless when it came to following the Law and the traditions of the elders, a leader of the Pharisees, a Benjamite, one who rejected the church because it combated the Law, etc. All of that added together equaled loss. Only Christ equals gain (v. 7)

B. Anything we think gets us a leg up spiritually inevitably fails when the habit itself becomes the focus. The primary goal must be to know Jesus Christ better (v. 8-11). “The surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus”, “that I may gain Christ”, “the righteousness of Christ through faith”, “the power of His resurrection”, “the fellowship of His suffering”, “conformed to His death”, “attain His resurrection”, “things we can only lay hold of by Christ”.

1. He is the focus, He is the goal. Jesus is the example, the first fruit, of all we were created to be. We are the image of God but corrupted with sin. Jesus fixed that with His death and resurrection. Now He grants it to us when we die to sin, sharing in His death, we attain a new life by partaking in His resurrection, we have His righteousness by faith in His working. The devil wants our goal to be self-serving instead of Christ-serving. When we know and gain Jesus then we have all the blessings that fix our sin problem, giving us life and hope. Therefore, knowing Christ Jesus our Lord is of surpassing value and everything else is a loss by comparison. Because only in Jesus do we have gain.

2. Paul’s encouragement is this: press on toward the goal. Grow mature in Christ, be complete in Him (v. 12-14).

a. Press on, when you struggle with sin and feel doubt/shame

b. Press on, when life presses in around you to force you to buckle

c. Press on, when people try to trip you up and get you to focus on the wrong things

d. Press on so you can lay hold of Jesus in full. Press on, grow to be complete in Him

3. Illus.

III. Our Plan to Attain the Goal (v. 15-21)

A. How can we attain our goal and grow to be more like Jesus?

1. Self Examination (v. 15-16). Live by the standard of Christ revealed in the Scriptures. God is faithful to reveal to you where you fall short and give you the power to fix it. But He waits until you are diligently seeking Him. How much you know is not as important as living up to what you know. So, seek Him through the Word and pray that He reveal where you are not like Jesus and ask for help to change it.

2. Follow Godly Examples (v. 17-19). One way you can see what it means to live like Jesus is to find mature Christians and do what they do. Don’t follow those who are corrupted by earthly wisdom or self gratification. Seek the generosity, sincerity, and devotion of Christ. No one is perfect but follow where they are godly because they are showing you what it means to be like Jesus.

3. Eyesight fixed on Hope (v. 20-21). Our citizenship is in heaven, we are just waiting for the pilot to arrive so we can board the plane and go there. When Jesus returns He will transform our bodies, no longer sin-sick or susceptible to death, but matching the glory of His own body. We don’t have a body free from the temptations and attacks of Satan, but we are eagerly waiting for Jesus to come back and give it to us. Live with that hope at your forefront. This world is not your home. Live your life like you’re on your way home to heaven.

B. As we finish Preparing for Battle we have learned a few things:

1. We understand our Enemy is a Liar and seeks our destruction but God seeks our good

2. We understand our battlefield is in our bodies: flesh versus spirit and God gives us life and power to overcome

3. We understand that God has given us tools to stand firm against the devil’s schemes

4. Now we understand the Endgame. Accomplishments, failures, sin, spiritual habits are all loss in comparison to knowing Christ Jesus.

Conclusion

Press on in failure, in victory, in highs, in lows, in temptation, in the valley, and on the mountaintop. Press on to grow to be like Jesus in every way. Examine yourself, Follow Godly Examples, and Eyesight Fixed on Hope. Christ has laid hold of us and given us a new life and a new home. Let’s press on until we attain it.