Philippians 3:12-16

Introduction

My daughters have been having an ongoing conversation recently. Issa will say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Then Christy will apply if that or the case then we would never go to doctors. They would just have apple carts everywhere and that would keep everyone healthy. The cafeteria would serve apple juice and applesauce and apples and instead of going to the doctor you just chomp down an apple.

Now of course we all know the idea isn't that and apple will cure cancer or the common cold but it's that if you focus on this one thing if you focus on eating healthy it'll make everything else better.

Today Paul is going to be talking about a change of focus. He's going to challenge us to narrow the focus of our lives to what truly matters. And he's going to use the analogy of a race. Now when you think of this race it's not the kind of race you had with your siblings growing up to get to the cookie jar first period it's more like a marathon or frankly any race that you don't necessarily expect to run but the prize is in the completion and not the victory. The victory is in the completion and not finishing first period let's read the passage together here.

Philippians 3:12–16 ESV

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

So what is Paul referring back to in this first verse here? He's pointing back to the passage we covered two weeks ago. In this passage he talked about all the reasons he had to brag about his religious superiority. He talked about his heritage his zeal and the work he had done and how he counted all of that loss for the sake of Jesus.

Philippians 3:8–9 ESV

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order 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 comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

The focus and pursuit that Paul had in his life was knowing Jesus Christ and experiencing the power of the righteousness that God gave to him. That God gives to each and everyone of us who place our faith in Jesus and what he did on the cross.

Another way to think of what Paul is doing here is to think of the verses leading up to verse 12 as Paul's ultimate goal. And this passage is what Paul is presently doing to pursue his ultimate goal. It's how Paul's life is working now to get him to where he wants to ultimately be pursuing and resting in God.

And what was Paul's present goal?

I love how the NIV translates this here:

Philippians 3:12 NIV

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.

Personally, I trusted Christ as my savior when my mother invited me to do so in the kitchen of our home. Christ didn't take hold of me in that moment as much as I chose to trust my mother and my savior. If there's anyone who had a legitimate reason to say the phrase Christ took hold of me it would be Paul wouldn't it?

Imagine being in Paul’s shoes? He's on the road to Damascus with a detachment of soldiers. He's utterly and completely convinced that he is doing God's will. So he both has physical power with the soldiers and religious confidence it had to be a marvelous moment for him! And yet on the way to do what he thought was God's work God interrupted him with a shining light and blindness and words literally from heaven. Paul was blind for three days after his encounter with Jesus. And that moment changed the direction of the rest of Paul's life.

Paul could definitely say that Christ laid hold of him. And not only that he knew that God had a specific purpose for him.

Acts 9:15 ESV

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

Of course Paul had a work to do throughout his life. He had something that he was called to. But the daily process that Jesus called Paul 2 as what he's talking about here. Jesus called Paul not just to work to reach people for him but to a lifetime of knowing Jesus.

Paul's goal was to continue serving God until he met his savior.

One point that deserves to be made here is this, in order for someone to come to know Jesus as their savior in some sense God has to call them and convict them of their sin and their need for a savior. You can share the gospel with someone 1000 times but if God does not open their eyes to the reality of their sin and the reality of their need for him they will not respond to the gospel. We don't know how God's sovereignty and human free will intersect. But God is sovereign and we do appear to have free will :) so keep praying for your loved ones and keep sharing with them.

Philippians 3:12 ESV

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

The Pursuit

If Christ has made us his own and the goal is for us to pursue and live out what he has worked into us then how do we do this? That's the question I believe Paul answers in the next several verses.

Philippians 3:13–16 ESV

13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

I love it when Paul uses the analogy of a race! I love participating in running events because I enjoy running. The vast majority of any event that I've participated in over the last decade these days is simply about whether I can get my body across the finish line. It's a completion game more than anything. But even in that the key to getting myself across the finish line just a little bit faster is focus. And I'll add to that the key to completing an extraordinary distance or a hard task is focused.

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of running a marathon for the first time in 60 years. It hurt a lot for the last hour and a half out of four hours I was running. And the only thing that kept me going was my sister-in-law kicking my butt to make me go and a focus on simply reaching the end. I couldn't focus on writing my sermon because I couldn't think straight, or figuring out projects around the house, or trying to be a better husband or father, all I could do was focus on the finish line. And because I did that I crossed the finish line

I like this quote:

Opening Up Philippians Paul’s Pursuit

We must not look back to our failures or successes. We must keep ever in mind that our goal is to know Christ better, and we must daily put forth the effort to reach that goal.

We need to honestly wrestle with our heart and answer the question what is our goal in life?

If our biggest goal in life is financial security or freedom or health or a family happiness or comfort then we need to take a good read of the book of Ecclesiastes.

The reality is that Jesus offers us an opportunity. Sure it's an invitation to and eterniti in heaven. But here and now it's a meaningful pursuit.

We admire people who have a singleminded focus in many areas of life except for the spiritual realm. We admire Olympic athletes who put their entire life on hold for a shot at gold. We admire a violinist who deliberately neglects everything else in their life for a shot at excellence. But what do we think when we hear about someone who does this in the area of Christian living? Do we think of them as an extremist?

This quote from one author really challenged me:

Opening Up Philippians Paul’s Pursuit

We often embrace the ‘shotgun’ approach to life, trying to find happiness and satisfaction by scattering our time and energies over a wide range of interests and activities. We want to try a little bit of everything, and we do not want to miss out on anything.

Isn't it so easy in our world today to be distracted by so many different things? To be clicking and scrolling and ordering stuff to try to fill up our lives. We spend so much money and so much time trying to find happiness and satisfaction everywhere. When perhaps the most satisfying and joyful thing we can do let's take a walk and talk with God. Or perhaps it's turning off our phone and TV and computer and just resting and reading from God's word or enjoying time with the family he's given you.

Instead Paul suggests that we focus and us the approach of a rifle shot. Shotguns spray pellets, rifles are meant to precisely place a shot. Paul wants us to see pursuing Jesus as that goal that makes life worth living.

Paul’s closing

Philippians 3:15–16 ESV

15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Of course when it comes to living focused Christian lives it's always going to be difficult because we'll disagree about what that really looks like. So Paul finishes this section with a sort of call to humility. He thinks that all who are mature in Christ should think the way he does. That pursuing Jesus really is worth it. But he urges them to trust in God's leading. He urges us to trust in God. To stay humble.

Conclusion

Do you want to find meaning and happiness this week? Focus on less rather than more. Clear your head and space for time to walk and talk with God. Shut off your devices and read an old school paper Bible and just think about God's word. Ask God what it would look like for you to pursue a more intentional relationship with Jesus. Consider what things might need to be shed from your lives so you can finish the race of faith with excellence.