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May 12, 2002
Philippians 3: 12-21
Seminarian Collin Vanderhoof

Press on Toward the Goal

In mid-April of every year, thousands of runners from all over the world come together to run the Boston Marathon. The Boston Marathon is not like many other races you may have seen. This race is 26.2 miles long. The runners in the Boston Marathon go through a course that is downhill, then up-hill and then downhill again. They run down the street in bunches, trying not to trip over each other as they turn corners. The Boston Marathon is not like a relay race, or a 100-yard dash - those races are over in a matter of seconds. The runners in a marathon have to condition themselves to run for a long period of time. The Boston Marathon takes several hours to complete. Those are not the only obstacles they have to overcome. They run this race no matter what the weather. It could be hot and humid with the sun beating down on them, or it could be very damp and cold with the wind trying to knock them over. Why am I telling you all of this today, you may ask? Well, our Christian life is like a marathon. We as believers live a life-long struggle in our Christian life. Several times in Scripture the apostle Paul compares the Christian to a runner in a race. In our text for today, Paul urges us on to run the Christian race. He tells us to Press on Toward the Goal. He tells us to press on by Straining to run the right way, and then by Focusing on the right prize.

I. Straining to run the right way
Paul tells us how he runs the right way in verse 13. He says "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." Why is it important to forget what is behind? A runner who looks back loses his focus. He won't be able to see where he is going and may find himself veering off course, or worse, he may run into something and take himself out of the race. So to, Christians can lose their focus by looking back. They can do this in two ways:

The first way is by dwelling on past sins. Paul himself admits to this temptation earlier in this chapter. He admitted that he had been a Pharisee, and that he had zealously persecuted the church. Prior to his conversion, Paul had spent many hours doing all he could to stop the preaching of Christ-crucified. This is the same guy who stood by and watched in approval as Stephen was stoned to death. There is no doubt that Paul was tempted to despair over the things he had done, but he said that he 'forgets what is behind him.'

How many times don't we dwell on our past sins? Maybe you were arguing with a family member, a classmate or a neighbor, and out of anger you said some things you shouldn't have, and you really hurt his feelings. What about that thing you did, and you never got caught, but you still feel bad about it today? We all have done things we regret. We feel terrible about it. We apologize again and again, both to the person we hurt, and also to God. But you know, maybe we think that God couldn't possibly forgive us for what we did. My friends in Christ, focusing on our past sins leads to despair. When we despair, we have no hope or direction; we veer off course and take ourselves out of the race. By focusing on our sins, we take our focus off of the goal of our Christian race.

There is another way that we Christians can look back, as we are running our race. Maybe we are running the race, and we think we've done a pretty good job so far. We're running, and we look back and see others running far behind us. Maybe we think, 'yeah, I may have stumbled here and there, but look at that guy. He's 2 blocks back!' We, think, 'I'm in the lead!' This kind of looking back is just as bad as the first one I mentioned. No matter how good a race you think you have run, it isn't good enough. The apostle Paul himself knew that he hadn't done anything in his race. He hadn't achieved perfection. He says in v. 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." Paul was a great apostle, yet he knew he hadn't earned anything. He still had more of the race to run. He didn't look back, but he focused his attention ahead.

At the end of verse 13 Paul says that 'he strains toward what is ahead.' The word Paul uses here has a vivid picture. The Greek verb gives us a picture of a runner bent forward, reaching out for the finish line, with his eyes focused on the goal. What a great picture. We have all seen races where the runner, completely exhausted at the end of the race, leans forward and stretches across the finish line. Paul urges us to do this in our Christian life.

At the end of verse 12, he said: "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." As Christ took hold of Paul, he also took hold of each and every one of us. He came down to earth and he ran a perfect race. The whole time Jesus was here on earth, he ran perfectly. He never once stumbled. He never looked back and not for a second did he lose his focus. He loved us so much, that he ran the race perfectly. He did it all for us so that we don't have to be perfect. He forgives you for those times you stumble in your race. He forgives you for all the bad things that you've done. He forgives you for those times you look back in pride and say, 'at least I'm better than that guy.' As you are straining to run the right way, remember the amazing love by which Jesus has taken hold of you.

So don't dwell on your past failures. Don't worry about the past. It has been forgiven. Instead of looking back, Paul gives us something to look ahead to as we Press on toward the goal.

II. Focusing on the right prize
Where should our focus be as we are running our Christian race? Paul tells us what not to focus on in verses 18 and 19. He says: "For, as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things." Paul's description here doesn't sound like us, does it? We certainly don't live as Christ's enemies, do we? Paul is referring to unbelievers here, but we all feel the temptations that lead to this. What does Paul mean when he says 'their god is their stomach?' Paul here is talking about people who have a deep self-centeredness. They put their own selfish desires first. We Christians stumble to such temptations too, don't we? We all have a sinful nature that wants each of us to put 'me' first. It says, 'Forget what God wants, what do I want?' Perhaps a good example of this can be seen in your devotional life. Instead of doing your devotion for the day, maybe you decide to doe something that is 'more enjoyable.' Things like video games, Internet and movies.

Paul says that the people who live as Christ's enemies gloried in their shame. They were doing despicable things, and were proud of it. Things like drunkenness and sexual immorality. Anything they could do that was contrary to God's will. Maybe you don't fall into the temptation of sexual immorality, but what about the movies and T.V shows that you watch? Do you find yourself thinking, 'oh it's not that bad.' Maybe after a while, a sin doesn't seem like a sin anymore. The devil, through our sinful nature gets us to time and time again put our own desires ahead of what God desires. Satan gets us to glory in the shameful things we do. That is what Paul is warning us against in v. 19. By giving into our selfish desires and the things of this world, we take our focus off of the prize. To continue in those temptations is to become an enemy of the cross of Christ.

What is the prize that we are to focus on? Well, runners in Paul's time ran for a wreath, and sometimes a cash reward. Today runners compete for gold medals and the chance to stand at the top of the podium while their national anthem is played. But we Christians run for a different prize. In v. 14 Paul states what that prize is: "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." As Christians we run for the prize of heaven, which is ours through Christ. At the end of Christ's perfect race here on earth, he died on the cross for our sins. All of the times when you put yourself first, all of the times when you fell into temptation, all of your selfish acts were paid for on the cross. And in return, Christ opened the door of heaven to you.

Many people run their races here on earth reaching for different goals. Some strive for a successful career and lots of money. Others reach for popularity or fame. Some want to retire at age 50 so they can live the good life, but a Christian's goal is heaven. We shouldn't get caught up in the things of this world.

Paul says as much in verse 20: "But our citizenship is in heaven." For the people of Philippi, to whom Paul wrote these words, citizenship was a big deal. Philippi was a proud and prosperous city in Paul's time. It had a lot going for it, not the least of which was that it was a Roman colony. The people of Philippi were Roman citizens, and they had all the pride and privileges that went along with it. They were citizens of the most powerful nation in the world. One can't help but notice the similarity to our times. We are citizens of the most powerful nation in the world. Think of all the things you can enjoy as a U.S. citizen that citizens of other countries cannot. Since September 11th, the U.S. flag can be seen everywhere, and everyone is proud to be an American. That is the way the people of Philippi felt. But Paul warns the people of Philippi not to have their minds on earthly things as others do. This is a good warning for us as well.

God has blessed us as members of this country. There is nothing wrong with being a patriotic American. By all means, belt out the National Anthem at baseball games this summer; fly your flags proudly. But what Paul is telling us, is not to become too attached to this world. Heaven is our home. This world is a temporary place. When our race is over, and we are awarded the prize, we will go to heaven. As good as we have it here and as blessed as we are here, it pales in comparison to what waits for us in heaven.

Paul says (v. 20-1): "And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." What a wonderful prize that is! Our Lord Jesus Christ is going to transform us to be like him. That means that we will be without sin. Imagine that! All of our imperfections, our shameful thoughts, our sinful words and actions will be gone. We will be perfect and will get to spend eternity singing God's praises with all the saints in heaven.

We Christians, who are here running the race on earth, can't wait for Jesus to come and take us home. My dear Christian friends, that is the goal we are striving, stretching out for. As we reach the finish line, and our race is over, Christ will take us to the winner's circle of heaven. Heaven is our home, and believers who have run before us, are standing there at the finish line cheering us on.

Paul knew that he wasn't perfect, and we know that we aren't perfect. We have stumbled in our race. There have been times when we looked back and we lost our focus, but we are forgiven in Christ. My fellow runners here at Mount Olive, keep your focus on Christ. He has won the prize for us. With Christ we will finish the race, and in Christ we can strive to run the right way and focus on our prize of heaven. Amen.