The Prize of the Upward Call of God
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Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Key Questions
what is the prize that Paul was talking about in his letter
what will it take for us to win the prize
Paul’s Exemplary Christian Life
Paul’s Exemplary Christian Life
Paul had a goal
Paul had a goal
Paul’s goal in his Christian life was to “gain Christ”
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
Philippians 37-
His idea of gaining Christ by being “conformed” to Him in His death and resurrection
Philippians 3.9-11
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
If you can be conformed to Christ’s death, you will be conformed to His resurrection also!
Paul looked to the prize
Paul looked to the prize
He wanted to “lay hold of” that for Christ has “laid hold of” him also.
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3.12
“lay hold of” - grk. katalambano, to win, acquire
Why did Christ lay hold of Paul? That is the very thing that he wanted to lay hold of!
Paul paid the cost of winning
Paul paid the cost of winning
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
He gave up all his worldly achievements and privileges.
More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
Philippians 3.
He did not allow the past to hold him.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
The Goal of the Christian Life
The Goal of the Christian Life
Common goal among Christians
stay in the same religion until death
just go to church every Sunday, and do all my Christian obligations
follow the rules in the church
Goal - grk. skopos
a mark on which to fix the eye
in a race - the finish line
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
The goal of the Christian life is “Christlikeness”
The goal of the Christian life is “Christlikeness”
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
“image” of the Son of God
Christlikeness is the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Christlikeness is the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Christlikeness is a predestined plan of God.
The Prize of the Christian Life
The Prize of the Christian Life
Common ideas of the prize:
eternal life
heaven
Prize = grk. brabeion
the reward of victory
1 Corinthians 9.24
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
The Prize of Victorious Christian Living is to be “Glorified with Christ”.
The Prize of Victorious Christian Living is to be “Glorified with Christ”.
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
by His foreknowledge God predestined us to Christlikeness of earth
Because we are predestined to Christlikeness, God CALLED us, JUSTIFIED us, and will finally GLORIFY US!
PAST - foreknowledge; predestination
PRESENT - calling; justification
FUTURE - glorification
Glorification was Christ’s reward for His earthly triumph.
And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
John 12.23
Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You,
even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.
“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
“I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.
“Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
John 17.1-
Jesus glorified the Father on earth when He accomplished the work that was given Him to do.
Jesus looked froward to His glorification BECAUSE He glorified the Father on earth!
Our Glorification Comes After we Glorify Christ in our Life.
To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,
so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1.11-12
We glorify Christ when we walk worthy of our calling, God’s desired good works are fulfilled, and faith is displayed mightily.
Our Glorification is In Christ.
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5.2
who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
GLORIFIED means -
we have the same glorious body as Christ’s
we are exalted with Christ when He is honored in heaven for His great work of redemption
we are reign with Christ as reward for victory
The High Cost of the Christian Life
The High Cost of the Christian Life
Our estimation of the “value” of God’s reward for us is expressed in:
our acts of service
our patience and perseverance
our response when God speaks to us, or corrects us
ILLUSTRATION
In a lottery, the higher the jackpot goes, the more tickets the gamblers buy, in hope of winning the prize.
In a lottery in which you pick 6 numbers from a possible pool of 49 numbers, your chances of winning the jackpot (correctly choosing all 6 numbers drawn) are 1 in 13,983,816. That's 1 shot in almost 14 million. If you were to buy one lottery ticket each week in such a scenario, you could expect to win once every 269,000 years.
Unfortunately, many lotteries have even worse odds than the scenario just described. For example, the popular Mega Millions multi-state lottery has odds of approximately 1 in 175,711,536. That's right — 1 in almost 176 million!
Unfortunately, many lotteries have even worse odds than the scenario just described. For example, the popular Mega Millions multi-state lottery has odds of approximately 1 in 175,711,536. That's right — 1 in almost 176 million!
Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT A GAMBLE, BUT IT IS COSTLY.
“For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?
“Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him,
saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
“Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
“Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.
“So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
Luke 14.2
“But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!
“And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.
“For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.
“But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.
1 Corinthians 9.25-27
Luke 12.28-
Following Christ requires clear knowledge of what you are up to.
Success in following Christ requires NO LESS THAN GIVING UP ALL OF ONE’S POSSESSIONS.
The Price of being Glorified is to Suffer for Christ’s Sake.
The Price of being Glorified is to Suffer for Christ’s Sake.
Romans 8.
but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Romans 8.17-18
Suffering with Christ is the price of being glorified with Christ.
How can we endure suffering in an age of comfortable living?
by giving up the pleasures of this world
by giving up one’s earthly dreams and ambitions
by giving up the company of earthly friends
by fasting regularly
by giving up one’s preferences or privileges
2 Timothy 2.10-12
It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
“I press on toward the goal”
Press means to strive after; to chase; to pursue
- seek after what is good for one and all
- pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, gentleness
- pursue peace with all men, and sanctification
“I press on” because…
the law of sin and death is pulling me down to live the old life.
the enemy is pointing at my failures and mistakes, saying I cannot make it.
God has laid hold of me before the foundation of the world!
Conclusion
Conclusion
The “prize” of our victory in Christ has no equal! No suffering on earth can be compared to the glory that await you!
No suffering on earth can be compared to the glory that await you!
DON’T LET YOUR PROBLEMS, YOUR WEAKNESSES, OR ANYTHING, STOP YOU FROM PRESSING ON!
The “prize” of our victory in Christ has no equal! No suffering on earth can be compared to the glory that await you!
DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE GOAL!
DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE PRIZE!