Taking Dead Aim (This One Thing I Do)

Philippians 3:7-14......

I have been in Philippians 3 quite a few times. There is some powerful teaching here. I wanted to get to it in the sermon last week.

That sermon dealt with our following Jesus and the flesh being weak, but we have a Great High Priest, Who has faced all the temptations that we have and successfully overcome each one. We, on the other hand, struggle because of the fleshy desire within us. Our only help is surrendering to the way of our Great High Priest Jesus Christ!

Now to our passage today......I heard one preacher quoting at stat that stated what percentage of children come to church if their fathers was attending. As of late, I do not have a whole lot of confidence in studies or stats. (Who is taking them, where are these studies done).

The point is today, that is a great thing for the complete family to be in church, but our direction is not to a father, mother, or even children. Our direction is God! What am I saying? We spend a lot of time talking about what this one should be and that one should do, not enough time on the One that will cause the change in any person.

This is Paul’s teaching here.......Paul, before Jesus met him on the road to Damascus, outwardly followed the law, he even said that he was considered “blameless”. He did all the right things according to human perspective.........The idea here is, if we want to be better, live better, whose better are we seeking? The world’s, society, my family’s, the preacher’s, or God’s?

Paul in the text tells us that all that he was in the past meant nothing to him. He was blameless outwardly, he did all the right things, he would of been one of the ones that we would give accolades to.

However, he wasn’t right, Jesus found him on the road to Damascus, struck him blind and dealt with him.

From that point on, the direction of Paul’s life was lived according to God and not man.

I hear of a lot of ministries directed at men trying to get them to be men. I agree, that is something that is lacking in today’s time, but I do not need a man to tell me how to be a man! We do not need a 10 point program to get men to be men, we need a direction change!

We come and gather at church, we do not have time to spend on dead beat dads, we need to spend time on teaching about the One that we have to do, Jesus Christ!

Paul said all of those things he had accomplished and followed in those days were as dung to him, when he found Jesus Christ!

You want change the person unless you address their direction! I have heard it over and over again, about how many tv’s folks have, video games, folks not attending church, etc.............none of this will ever change until the direction in their hearts change.

As in Paul’s case everything in his life outwardly seemed right, but it wasn’t until he met Christ that his inward heart was convicted and changed!

From that point everything was counted loss for Christ!!!

Notice the wording in verses 7-11.......

The things that were gain to him, he counted loss for Christ.

Counted everything as loss for the excellency (surpassing greatness) of the knowledge of Christ.

Suffered loss to win Christ.

To be found in Him.

Not having mine own righteousness, but that which is by faith in Christ.

That I may know Him....the power of His resurrection....the fellowship of His sufferings.....conformable unto His death.........

This all speaks to Paul coming to know Christ in a life-shaping way. Followers of Christ desire to be like their Lord.

It is impossible to be perfect as a human, but it is not impossible to desire to follow after our Lord, our example!

This tells us how we ought to teach, we teach and preach Jesus Christ. Without Him, we have no example of how to live right!

Paul also desires to be apart of the resurrection of the dead here!

Spiritually restored by Christ’s righteousness, as well as being redeemed unto spiritual eternal life with the Father!

Paul talks about that he is not trying to say that he has attained or that he was perfect, but he follows after that which is perfect, Jesus Christ!

All this speaks of, is that Paul is still growing. He speaks of his imperfections here.

He has not completely attained.

He is not perfected it all.

It must be understood that not at anytime, should we consider ourselves to have apprehended, nor should we believe that we are perfect, but........

To follow after Jesus Christ......this means to press, as it is used in verse 12. This has a meaning of straining every muscle to attain whatever you are after. It is an extreme aggressive term.

The last part of verse 12 has a powerful meaning to me......It simply says because God demonstrated His love for me while I was a sinner Christ died for me, I with love desire everything I can of Jesus Christ!

Verse 13 Paul says that he hasn’t got it all yet.......

But..... “this one thing I do” (this and I do were added)......One thing Paul has apprehended......He has forgotten what was behind, anything of his self: good or bad!

I heard a preacher preach on Galatians 2:20.......I am crucified with Christ.......What is crucified is all our self efforts, all of our good, and most definitely all of the bad.

This what is meant by self-denial..........It means that we believe that those things hold no value or have no effectiveness on my life! Only the life of Christ that I follow after! Nothing else!!!!

So, you reckon what will change the Dad’s, Mom’s, Children??????? A formula or Jesus???

This one thing I do..........forget me and reach forward to the one that I have to do....Hebrews 4:13 “And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

Important to note, for Him that we have to do.............to Whom we are accountable!

Paul goes on to emphasize his teaching, that he presses (same as “follow after”/straining every spiritual muscle) toward the Prize......He takes dead aim at his goal!!!! What is his goal or prize!

Jesus Christ.......Paul wanted his life to look like Christ, he wanted to know more about Jesus, and he wanted to be with Jesus! This was at the foremost of his mind and heart!

Jesus should be our direction! Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

I do not need to hear man’s ideas, all I need to hear is about Jesus Christ!

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Romans 10:17 “So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

This is the highest calling that any man can press toward, Jesus Christ!!!!!!

Paul takes dead aim at this call! He uses every fiber in his being to obtain it! What did Jesus say, what did Jesus do, Who is Jesus, where did Jesus go, what is Jesus doing now, and when will He come back, what will He do when He comes back?

You take all of these questions seriously, you will know all you need to know about sin, righteousness and judgement! That is enough in knowing that salvation is though Jesus Christ!

1 Corinthians 1:17-18 “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Let us leave here and cause our hearts and minds to take dead aim at Jesus Christ!!!!!!