"Pressing On Toward the Goal"

A young man once came up to a very famous pianist after a concert and said, “I’d do anything to be able to play like you do.” The pianist replied, “Will you practice eight hours a day, six days a week?” The young man walked away.

In a similar way, a rich young man asked Jesus what he must do to receive eternal life. Jesus told him to sell all he had, give it to the poor, and follow Him.

What we devote our time and energy to reveals what our true goals are in life. We ma say we want something, but are we willing to work to achieve it? In our reading today Paul declares that the one thing which he always has before him is the goal of knowing, of gaining, Christ fully.

Philippians 3:12–14 NIV84

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s desire

Take hold of being made perfect – complete, mature

We are to continue growing in knowledge, love, together in unity in the faith

Becoming who God has called us to be

Continue becoming more like Christ

To win the prize – Heaven, eternal life

Paul’s diagnosis

Paul has been a Christian for about 30 years. He had won many spiritual battles in that time. He had grown much in those years, but he candidly confessed he had not obtained all this.

Not there yet – he’s not satisfied with where he presently is spiritually or what he’s done already.

Not obtained all – righteousness by faith, knowing Christ, His power, His sufferings

Not made perfect

God called him

Christ took hold of him – for a purpose

John 10:28 NIV84

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.

Paul’s determination

Forget what is behind – not be concerned about

Past sins – not getting discouraged

Past successes – not being proud or satisfied

Straining ahead – putting all his energy into it

Press on toward the goal – not getting distracted or sidetracked, not giving up.

In this race it doesn’t matter who comes first. The race is different for each of us. All who finish the race receive the prize.

Hebrews 12:1 NIV84

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.