Rev. David Holwick Book of Philippians series
First Baptist Church MOTHERS DAY
Ledgewood, New Jersey
May 10, 1998
Philippians 3:12-14
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I. Think of it as a race.
A. Aerobics in college.
The only person who could ever make me run was my P.E.
teacher in college.
They called it an aerobics program, and I was required to
jog four times a week.
Since I had to do it, I was determined to be good at it.
Day after day I pushed myself to the limits of physical
endurance.
Toward the end of the program, I decided to see if I could
attain my personal goal.
Early in the morning I suited up and headed for the track.
Fortunately, it was empty.
I pressed the stopwatch and began to run.
After one lap I was panting and heaving, but my second wind
kicked in.
Two laps.
Three laps.
By now the sweat was cascading down my face.
My legs pounded the pavement.
I imagined thousands of spectators wildly cheering me on
as the theme from "Chariots of Fire" blared out.
The television cameras zoomed in.
And as I burst across the finish line, I pressed the
stopwatch.
I had done it.
I had run a mile in only 7 minutes and 59 seconds.
By just shaving off another 255 seconds, I would have
shattered the world record.
B. Olympics in Greece.
1) Athletics a vivid theme for Paul. 1 Cor 9:24-27
a) May have made tent/awnings for "Corinthian Games."
2) Sports and spirituality both require discipline
and commitment.
C. Here in Philippians, tension in Christian life in view.
1) We are earth people and heaven people at the same time.
a) In the race of life, where is our focus?
2) Paul gives three keys for successful Christian running.
II. The race isn't over yet.
A. Some Christians act like it is.
1) Perfectionism.
a) Taught by some in Methodism, but not stressed anymore.
b) Too hard to square with obvious facts.
2) Smug triumphalism.
a) "I have arrived," is communicated by many Christians.
1> Other people need to become like them.
A> (I feel inferior with these kind of pastors.)
2> They never have any problems.
3> They are basically static.
b) After accepting Christ, they coast.
B. Paul: "Not that I have obtained all this."
1) Paul knew he wasn't perfect yet.
a) "All this" not in Greek, but supplied.
b) Better: "I haven't arrived yet."
1> (Verse 11 may have given this impression.)
2) Salvation is a process.
a) Becoming (a Christian) is a one-time event.
b) Growing is a continuous process.
1> Bumper sticker: "I'm not perfect, just forgiven."
2> Christians ought to be most humble people.
3) Face your faults.
a) The longer I grow as a Christian the more acutely aware
that I am of my own inadequacies, limitations,
weaknesses and faults.
b) We have a ways to go yet - a long ways.
c) Where do YOU need to change?
III. Don't look back.
A. "Forgetting what is behind."
During the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics I was able to catch the
110 meter high hurdles.
The favorite to win was an American named Greg Foster.
"ABC" even did one of those three minute biographies on him.
The gun went off and the runners charged toward the hurdles.
Greg Foster was obviously nervous but he kept the lead.
But just as he vaulted over the last hurdle, he turned his
head ever-so-slightly to see where everyone was.
Big mistake.
The move cost him only hundredths of a second, but that was
enough to lose the race to another American, Tom Jefferson.
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B. What we look back at.
1) Great achievements.
a) Paul is probably referring to his pre-Christian
accomplishments.
1> He may also have his Apostolic triumphs in mind.
b) Philadelphia Temple Church was kidnapped by the past.
Its greatest pastor was Rev. Russell Conwell, who
founded the seminary I went to.
Conwell was a great motivator.
His church began dozens of ministries in Philadelphia,
started a school, and saw many of its young people
go into full-time Christian service.
This was in the 1880's.
90 years later, they were still looking back to their
past.
Not much was happening in the present.
When a new pastor came in the 1970's, he gathered the
deacons in the conference room and shared some ideas
he had for the church.
The deacons squirmed and fidgeted.
Finally one of them pointed to a huge painting of
Conwell on the wall and said,
"I don't think Pastor Conwell would want us to move so
quickly."
The new pastor got up, went over to the painting, flipped
it over and said,
"Pastor Conwell is gone. Let's look to the future."
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c) Don't be defeated by "what might have beens."
1> The job you should have stayed with.
2> The man you could have married.
3> Accept what you've got and move on.
2) Past failures.
a) Some are so conscious of past sins and burdened by guilt
that they are totally useless in the present.
b) Those who are ridden with guilt don't really understand
salvation.
1> We are pure in the eyes of our judge, God.
2> If God has forgiven us, we should forgive ourselves.
A> If we don't, we are putting ourselves higher
than God.
B> Forgive yourself and forget what is behind.
C. What memory do you need to let go of?
1) Make a conscious effort to leave it behind.
2) Reflect on past, but don't be shackled by it.
IV. Focus on the future.
A. Three times Paul refers to pressing and straining.
1) Straining refers to the stance of a sprinter.
a) They thrust bodies forward for greatest possible momentum.
2) Greek word for "press on" is same as one for persecuting in
verse 6.
a) Paul was now running to grab Jesus just like he had once
tried to grab Christians.
3) Do you expend as much effort into knowing Jesus as you do in
any ONE of your other interests in life?
a) William Sloan Coffin said once,
"The church is full of people who are seeking that
which they have already found and only want
to become that which they already are.
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B. Aim high.
1) Henry David Thoreau's book WALDEN, written in 1845:
Be not simply good; be good for something.
In the long run, men hit only what they aim at.
Therefore...they had better aim at something high.
I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one
advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and
endeavors to live the life which he had imagined, he
will meet with a success unexpected in normal life.
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2) Christians should be:
a) Forward-looking...
b) Positive...
C. What are you living for?
V. A prize is waiting.
A. Olympic wreaths, made out of lettuce or something.
1) Even gold medals become doorstoppers after a few years.
B. Paul doesn't say what our prize is, but it is in heaven.
1) Most likely it is knowing Christ fully there.
2) "High calling" is call to come up to be with him in heaven.
C. Are you aiming at the prize?
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