Sermon Tone Analysis

*Philippians XIII: Straining Forward *

*Philippians 3:12-16*

*/February 10, 2008/*

 

 

Before we get the sermon, I have a *Public* *Service* *Announcement*: Guys – Thursday is *Valentine* Day.

Even if your wife says you don’t have to get her anything, she is *lying*.

·         I found out the hard way “no gifts” does not mean “no cards.”

We are continuing our series on Philippians, in 3:12-16.

Are we still on page 831?

 

 

*The original Olympics*

 

Before we get to passage, I want to give you a little history lesson the *Olympics*.

The upcoming winter Olympics in Vancouver is creating quite a bit of excitement locally.

·         As most of you probably know, the modern Olympics are based on the ancient Greek Olympics.

The *original* Olympics were founded somewhere in the 8th or 9th century BC, some *700* *years* before Christ.

They were held every *four* years in Olympia.

·         *Philippi*, being in *Greece*, participated in the Olympics and it would have been a part of their *life* and national *identity*.

As big of a deal as the Olympics are today, it was *bigger* then.

In fact, all of the Greek city-states, who were frequently at war, would *stop* *fighting* to compete, in what was called the “*Olympic* *truce*.”

The Games were *hugely* *popular*, attracting people from throughout *Greece*, and *Rome* as well when they conquered Greece.

In fact the *stadium* seated *40,000*.

*Watching sports religiously *

 

Sports were taken very *seriously* Greece.

We joke that some people treat *football* like a *religion*, but for the Greeks it was literally *true*.

The Olympics were part *sport* and part *religious* festival in honor of *Zeus*, the head of the Greek pantheon.

They began with a full day of sacrifices at his temple.

The temple was destroyed in an earthquake in the 6th century AD.

Here is a reconstruction.

·         The *statue* of Zeus was one of the *seven* *wonders* of the ancient world – this is an ancient Romans copy of the Greek original.

Because of the *pagan* *nature* of the games, in 393 AD a Christian emperor *ended* the games.

It was not until *1896*, some *1,500* years later would they be *resurrected*.

Q   Do you know where the first games were held?

Athens, Greece.

*Unlike~/like*

 

Unlike today, *women* were *not* *allowed* to *participate* or *attend*, and would be thrown from a nearby cliff it they attended.

This was partially because athletes *competed* in the *nude*.

·         However, they did invent a clever version of a *jock* *strap*.

Much like today, the *winners* would be *richly* *rewarded*.

While the judges only gave our *laurel* *wreaths* and such, the athlete’s *home* *town* would give them *cash* *prizes*.

·         One city gave the equivalent of *2 years wages*.

Events included *chariot* *races*, full-contact *wrestling*, and the pentathlon, which was consisted of *discus* *throw*, *wrestling*, *races*, long *jump*, and *javelin* throw.

·         The most *popular* sport however was foot *racing*.

In fact, it was the *only* *sport* at first, then other events were *added* later.

This is all that is left of where they *raced*, but here is close up of the  *starting* blocks.

As an *engaging* *author*, Paul used parts of the *Philippian* *culture* to create *metaphors* that would be *meaningful* to his readers.

He describes the *Christian* *life* as a *race*, because how *popular* footraces were in that day.

They’re *subtle* to us, but would have been *clear* to the Philippians.

Let’s read from Phil.

3:12-16.

12 ¶ 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.  13 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,  14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.

And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.*

/Philippians 3:12-16 NIV/*/  /

 

In last week’s passage, Paul *attacks* *legalism*.

Paul used to be very *legalistic*, a Pharisees’ Pharisee.

He *obeyed* every *rule*, *followed* every *law*.

He had *made* *it*.

But after a *dramatic* *encounter* with Christ, Paul’s world was turned upside down.

He *reevaluated* everything he had ever known or done in light *Jesus* the *Messiah*, who had *died* for his sins.

Paul *rejected* his *legalistic* *righteousness* in favor of the *true* *righteousness*, a righteousness that is only of God’s *grace* and *cannot* be *earned*.

·         God, in his love, *reached* *out* to us, *not* because we are good, but because *he* *is*.

*Salvation past, present, and future*

 

But as you may remember that I said that a sermon like that is a little *lopsided* because it can leave the impression that it doesn’t matter how we live, that we can just go on *sinning* because God *keeps* *forgiving*.

·         Apparently Paul saw that same *danger*, because in today’s passage he talks about *striving* for *godliness*.

God’s goal in salvation wasn’t to *clean* us up then *dump* us back into the *wretched*, *destructive* life we were in before.

His goal is to *restore* us and show us *true* *life*, and that we know him.

Salvation, in its *Biblical* *meaning* isn’t a one-time event in the past when God forgives our sins, it’s an *all*-*encompassing*, *life* *altering* event, that occurs in the *past*, *present*, and *future*.

·         In the past, every person who’s put their *trust* in *Jesus* has been justified.

It’s by *grace*; we can do nothing to earn it.

·         In the present, we are in the *process* of being sanctified, which means being *made* *holy*, and this is a *ton* of *work*.

·         In the future, we will be glorified.

One day our *struggle* against sin will be *over* and we will know *Christ* *perfectly*.

But Paul is very clear that this last one is in the future:

 

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.

/Philippians 3:12 NIV/

 

 

*The unobtainable goal*

 

I think that Paul may have seen the *irony* here: In verse 6 he said his *righteousness* under the law was *faultless*.

This was *not* an *exaggerated* boast.

Under the Pharisaical system, it was *possible* to obey the law perfectly.

It was very *hard* – there were *600* *rules* you had to follow.

But it was possible and *Paul* had *done* it.

But Christ had reveled *God’s* *perspective*: Far more important than following the *external* *rules* was *internal* *heart* *change*.

·         This is why he said “*lust* is *adultery*” and “*anger* is *murder*.”

Jesus, and Paul after him, knew that a *perfect* *heart* was *impossible*, an unattainable goal.

So Paul, the man who had it all, gladly gives it up for a *never* *ending* process, a life-long *journey* – never *arriving*, but always *growing*.

*The great adventure*

 

*Becoming* a *Christian* is not the end of the *journey* any more than the *wedding* is end of the *marriage*, it is the *beginning*.

Last week many of you watched *Larry* and *Chrissy* get married right here.

It is so sweet to see how *twitterpated* they were, to see that *dreamy* look in their eyes.

If you have been *married* for a *while*, it’s easy to watch that and say, “Just give is a *couple* of *months*.”

It’s not that we are bring *cruel* or *bitter*.

It is just the voice of *experience*.

As much as I enjoyed when *Marilyn* and *I* were *dating*, with all of its warm *fuzzies*, there’s *no* *way* I would go back, because it would mean giving up the *depth* than comes with *time*.

·         I like to tell *engaged* *couples* that marriage is a *heck* of *ride* – *ups* and *downs*, but worth every minutes.

And our Christian walk is like that: a great *adventure*, a *heck* of a *ride*.

It gets *richer* with every *trial* and we grow *closer* to our God in every *challenge*.

Paul describes it as a *race*, but *unlike* races the Philippians knew, it’s a race we will *never* *finish* while we are alive.

But nonetheless, we must run it well.

Paul *describes* *how* he runs:

 

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.