What's My Motivation

Introduction

There was a Sprite commercial from the late '90s with some very macho-looking basketball players named Freight Train, Pablo, and Mo-T, with hard-hitting dialogue, interrupted by the director calls, "Cut," to say that the Sprite can is upside down.

Interestingly, when the director yells “cut,” these macho-looking basketball players' real personality comes out, and they are not very macho acting at all. Mo-T begins to tell the director off, saying he'd played Hamlet at Cambridge; Pablo complains that the director has ruined his concentration once again. Freight Train asks the question, "Excuse me, what's my motivation?" The commercial ends with the tagline, "Image is nothing. Thirst is everything. Obey your thirst[1]."

What Freight Train eloquently articulated in his question, "what’s my motivation is a question that we often ask, when dealing with sudden pauses in life.

The prison epistles are the name given the Apostle Paul's letters to churches while he was in prison. The book of Philippians is one of Paul's prison epistles. It is interesting to note that imprisonment was not for punishment in antiquity but used to hold a prisoner for some future action. An example could be to extort money from the family of the prisoner. Or if the person was imprisoned to maintain public order in the face of potential rioting. In this case, the person was typically released after the threat of rioting had passed.

In chapters 1 and 2 of this book, Paul mentions that he expected to be released soon, which hints that he was more than likely imprisoned to keep the peace[2]. This is not a far-fetched analysis since there was often public commotion associated with Paul's preaching of the Gospel.

Except for the books of Romans and Philemon, Paul's letters are personal exchanges of information between himself and fellow Jesus-group members. We can see this in how these letters are structure in what is called a Hellenistic letter, which was a structure typical for personal communications.

Therefore, Paul isn't sitting down, trying to decide what he wants to teach the believers in Philippi. But Paul is functioning as a shepherd who is attempting to feed the flock of Jesus. In other words, the context of the recipients is driving the subject matter of the letter.

Life has come to an abrupt stop for Paul with his unexpected imprisonment. He is no longer running to this church and that church. His schedule that was packed full of tent-making, traveling, preaching, teaching, and coaching have come to a stop.

It's interesting how, at different times, life forces us to stand still. It's interesting how, during these times, we can become more reflective and introspective in our thinking—thinking about the things that matter the most in life, which are often the things we give the least amount of thought.

Isn't it a shame that it usually takes forced stillness to evaluate our lives and think about those truly important things? It is out of a reflective moment that was caused by Paul being forced to stand still. That birth the book of Philippians. For Paul, what he reflected on that is truly important to him was Christian unity and the church's survival amid intense persecution.

(With this contextual understanding, we prepared to make our descent and land on our text. Go with me to Philippians 3:12.)

Philippians 3:12 (NASB95)

12. 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.

(To set the context for this evenings preaching and teaching, I would like to tag this text with the question, What’s My Motivation?)

I. Paul’s Foundational Understanding: “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect.” This transitional verse is significant in the trajectory of this Pauline precipe as it joins what is to come with the previous section contained in verses 4-11. That section culminates in verse 10 with Paul saying that his one desire is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering.

It is now followed by the phrase not that I have already obtained this or reached the goal. Here Paul is moving from providing a word of caution about past experiences related to the false teaching he encountered over the years. Paul is beginning to transition to a discussion about his plan of action for the future.

I want to start with the first clause of this passage where the text says “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect”. In this text, what jumps out to me is how Paul begins the discussion by talking about what he doesn't have and the goal he has not reached. The key to this is in the phrase I have not already obtained. Or has some translations say I have not already grasped.

There are several meanings that this phrase can have in Greek, which is why proper contextualization is essential. For example, it can mean to get or obtain, make one's own, apprehend, or comprehend mentally or spiritually.

Therefore, when viewed in light of Paul's previous statement about his desire to know Christ, the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering. Consequently, what Paul means is that he has not fully grasped or obtained the whole meaning of Christ at this point in his experience. This truth is critical, and we cannot afford to rush past it, especially in our reason and rationally dominated perspectives. That often causes us to think we know more than we do! Which often produces a false sense of control.

Considering all that Paul had experienced during his life and ministry until this point, I would think that he would have felt that he knew Jesus, the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering.

Let's think about the events that took place in Acts 16. This is where we find the famous story about Paul and Silas. You know the story. There was a slave girl with a spirit of divination and a man in the city who was extorting her to profit. The Bible says that she made her owners a great deal of money through fortune-telling.

The story goes on to say that this slave girl followed Paul and Silas around, saying, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." She did this for many days, and this got on Paul's last nerve, and Paul cast the spirit out the slave girl and stopped the flow of money her owners.

Who, in turn, got angry and had Paul and Silas thrown into the inner-most part of the prison. It here when we read the famous words; “ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns God.” The narrative says the ground shook and the prison doors were opened, and everyone's chains fell off! Guess what city Paul and Silas were in when this all happen? This took place in the town of Philippi!

If anyone could have said to the believers in Philippi, they obtained and reached the goal of knowing Jesus, the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering. It would have been Paul!

Here is Paul’s foundational understanding that we, as believers in Christ, are not possessors of the truth, but we are witnesses to the truth. Paul realized that knowing the person of Jesus was more significant than knowing the doctrine or teachings of Jesus. The reality is that personhood is so vast that we can never fully understand a person. Nor are we able to fully articulate or describe our relationship with another person.

Therefore, despite Paul’s miraculous experiences, Paul was still keenly aware that his knowledge of Christ is partial.

He never forgot that we see through a glass darkly.

Paul never forgot that what we know is only a part or a piece of actual reality.

Paul understood that by God's grace, I am what I am, and if God would choose to use someone like him, then there must be more going on than what I am aware of or can control!

Here is how Paul prevented himself from ministering out of a false sense of having arrived in his relationship with God. This foundational understanding provided a correct understanding of who we are in connection to what Jesus does in us and through us.

(Now we are ready to address the relevant question this text is asking of us.)

II. Paul’s Motivation: “but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”

Thus far was have been framing our conversation around this familiar passage of scripture. We have set both the broad and immediate context of this text to build and begin to understand the critical message that Paul is communicating to the church.

In particular, how his relationship with Jesus was every growing and the desire to know Jesus more and more each day never changed. None of Paul's life experiences, either good or bad, ever changed Paul's desire to know Jesus, the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering.

In addition to that, we have seen how Paul prioritized his life correctly. What we love determines our priorities, our priorities determine our motivation, and our motivation determines our actions.

This often leads some of us into trouble because we prioritize something with our mouths, but our inactivity proves that we aren’t motivated enough to take action.

We often say we prioritize our health, yet our diet and activity level would tell a different story.

We often say we prioritize our spouse, yet we continue to ask that they make sacrifices for us, yet we are not making many sacrifices for them.

We often say that we prioritize our children, yet we only spend time with them that is convenient for us.

Here in the last clause of verse 12, we see Paul sharing his driving motivation with us.

When we read the last clause of verse 12, the natural tendency is to focus on the words "I press on." Our 21st Century American lens creates our perspective that prioritizes perennial progress and achievement. In other words, we tend to define success tangibly as achieving a certain level of education or rising to a certain level within our careers. Or we define success by what we can consume. Meaning the car we drive or the clothes we wear, the type of food we eat, or even the types of beverages we drink. It is this type of thinking that can draw our attention to Paul, saying I press.

However, focusing our attention first on Paul saying I press puts the proverbial cart before the horse. Paul is not pressing to achieve or consume, but Paul is pressing towards a relational experience. For it is a relational experience that is the motivation behind pressing.

The main point I believe the Lord wants us to grasp is in the final words of this verse: " but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

Because it is not so much that Paul is pressing that is important. We are all pressing towards a lot of different things we desire; therefore, it is not the act of pressing that is most important, but it is our motivation for pressing, which is most important. Or, more simply stated, the relevant question this text is asking us to consider in our current context is "What's our motivation?"

There are times when life's interruptions should cause us to ask the question, what’s my motivation. The pause in life created by this pandemic should have forced some of us to ask the question, what's my motivation.

It is no secret then why, in this Pauline prison epistle, when Paul is experiencing one of life’s unplanned interruptions, we find Paul communicating the motivation behind his ministry. Therefore, many people are pressing toward something. But the real question is, what’s my motivation.

Some are pressing in the hope of filling a void.

Some are pressing out of their lack of self-esteem.

Some are pressing because their father never told them that he loved them.

Some are pressing to live out the expectations someone else has placed on their life.

But notice in our text, Paul said that he is pressing towards “THAT,” which is the reason that Jesus laid hold of him. Everyone has a God-given “THAT,” which should be what we are pressing towards. The ministry, the preaching, teaching, writing, pastoring and mentoring all made up the “THAT” in this verse. The pressing doesn’t’ matter if we aren’t pressing toward our “THAT.” Herein is why our motivation has to be correct, because if our motivation isn’t right, then what we are pressing towards won’t be right either.

The real problem associated with this is that we can often find ourselves motivated by an image of the good life that has nothing to do with why we were given life!

Paul shares that his motivation comes out of his desire “to lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Our THAT is in Jesus; simply stated, Paul is trying to lay hold of Jesus, who laid hold of him!

Paul is referencing his road to Damascus encounter with Jesus. The meeting where a bright light shined from Heaven knocked Paul to the ground and blinded him. It was during this same experience when Jesus said, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Then Jesus goes on to tell Paul that it will be told to you what you must do. In this statement from Jesus, Paul draws the “THAT’ which Jesus laid hold of him!

This encounter reveals Jesus, who loved Paul enough to lay hold of him after holding the coats of the men who stoned Stephen to death. This encounter reveals Jesus, who laid hold of Paul while he was going on a crusade to hunt, arrest, and kill any Christians that he could!

(Let’s pull all of this together.)

III. The Conclusion of The Matter: Here is where it all comes together, for Paul is saying for Jesus to encounter and lay hold of him while he was persecuting the church. That Jesus, I have to dedicate my life to seeking to lay hold of him! Everything flows out of his desire to know Jesus, who laid hold of him!

Another illustration of this is when Jacob wrestles with the Lord until daybreak. The Lord had laid hold of Jacob, and Jacob responds by saying, I will not let go until you bless me! Has Jesus even met you in such a dark place where the only way you made it out, is because Jesus held on to you and you held on to him!

Is there anyone in here who can honestly say that at some point in time, Jesus has laid hold of you? When you have an encounter where Jesus has laid hold of you, it will motivate you to do everything you can to lay hold of him.

I testify that I was sinking deep in sin, sinking to rise no more. But the master of the sea heard my despairing cry and from the water lifted, now safe am I! It was there when Jesus laid hold of me! It was there where I experienced Jesus in such a way that I can say from experience, whom the Son sets free is free indeed! And it was there that I promised Jesus that I would spend the rest of my life seeking to lay hold of him in return.

I am seeking to lay hold of the real purpose Jesus had for my life.

I am seeking to lay hold of the gifts that he had placed down inside of me.

I am seeking to lay hold of all the intentions that Jesus has for my life.

Am I the only one with a testimony of how Jesus laid hold of me? I now know from experience what it means for Jesus to lay hold of you! I can feel praise starting to bubble up in my spirit!

Jesus, laid hold of us when we are at our worst.

Jesus, laid hold of us when we are sinking deep in sin.

Jesus laid hold of us when our lifestyle is hostile towards him.

Jesus loved us enough to lay hold of us while we were his enemies.

Jesus, who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.

Jesus who is longsuffering and his love knows no end.

Jesus took the first step when he laid hold of us, and that is what should motivate us to press and lay hold of Jesus. Everything we do needs to flow from this motivation. Our attitude towards life should be motivated by the fact that Jesus laid hold of us.

Herein is our answer to the question, What’s my motivation? Jesus. Once we truly begin to understand and believe what Jesus did to lay hold of us, I will find myself having the right motivation.

[1] Neufeld, Andrew. Excuse Me but What’s My Motivation Jan 10, 2018 Medium.com retrieve from https://medium.com/@andrewneufeld/excuse-me-but-whats-my-motivation-2f4f481967c4 on April 11, 2020.

[2] Malina, Bruce J. Pilch, John J. Social-science commentary on the letters of Paul ©2006 Augsburg Fortress Minneapolis, MN pg. 301.