What's your Prize?
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· 2 viewsWe all press on toward a goal to win a prize but what is the prize we are striving for?
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What’s your prize?
What’s your prize?
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
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.
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.
Story of striving for the wrong prize.
When we take our eyes off the prize for one second we can lose. How many times have you seen in sports when a player thought they were victorious just to lose in the last second because they lost focus.
Philippians 3:
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
Paul just finished talking about what would be a very impressive list to many. What’s your list? How many titles do you have? If you were to get the opportunity to introduce yourself to God, how would you do it? Do you think He would be impressed?
Once Paul met Christ he realized that everything the world would consider a gain was truly a loss.
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
Philippians 3:8
In verse 8 Paul takes “loss” to another level. “Garbage.”
The Greek word for garbage is defined as “dung” or “useless material.”
Paul isn’t messing around here. He really is saying that it is garbage and totally useless.
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.
Paul makes it clear that he has not and did not achieve righteousness from the law or his titles but through faith in Christ and that alone.
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,
We don’t really want to stop at this verse. Let’s skip pass this verse because it says that to know Christ - participation in his sufferings is part of the game.
Please understand I’m not saying that God doesn’t want to bless you one way or the other but we must understand that it is a blessing and rewarding to suffer for God’s glory.
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,
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.
Paul acknowledges his imperfection.
Paul acknowledges his imperfection.
He shows the need for growth.
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
I believe that Paul would have seen the Olympic games. They would have happened in that time and place. I believe this because of his word use.
“press on”
“goal”
“win”
“prize”
What is your prize? What are you striving for? More money? Better job? Glorifying God? Getting to heaven!