Everything's Possible - Day 22
Philippians 3:12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Paul doesn’t want anyone to think that he has already achieved perfection. In fact, the Greek word used actually means to be perfected, completed or reached a goal. Paul understands that he is a work in progress, that he is “on his way,” and that gives him the grace to succeed and to fail, all under the forgiveness and love of God. Paul wants to contribute to what God is adding to the world, and in so doing, he has to press on toward the goal that God has placed before him.
My very first sermon was on this text. I have told you about it before. I shot off a starter's pistol at the chapel at PUC. Something that would definitely not be allowed today. I wanted people to understand that they were in this race that God had placed them on and that this race was something that they could finish if they could just get started!
I don’t want you to miss what is said in verse 13. Paul is talking about perspective (think about what we talked about last Friday). Paul is saying I don’t want to look at what I left behind, but I want to move toward what is ahead, what God has called me to, and when I look at things from that perspective, life gets a bit better.
Paul emphasizes finishing the race and receiving the heavenly prize. What is that prize? Is it heaven? Is it something else? Paul would have thought it was at least two things. One would have been heaven, for sure. But the other would have been the presence of God that was unending. This, of course, could be seen as heaven. But we sometimes use heaven as an escape route from being present here on this earth. The truth is that Paul was extremely present in his life, but he also knew the presence of God in his life, and this allowed him to handle anything that was thrown at him.
Paul doesn’t want anyone to think that he has already achieved perfection. In fact, the Greek word used actually means to be perfected, completed or reached a goal. Paul understands that he is a work in progress, that he is “on his way,” and that gives him the grace to succeed and to fail, all under the forgiveness and love of God. Paul wants to contribute to what God is adding to the world, and in so doing, he has to press on toward the goal that God has placed before him.
My very first sermon was on this text. I have told you about it before. I shot off a starter's pistol at the chapel at PUC. Something that would definitely not be allowed today. I wanted people to understand that they were in this race that God had placed them on and that this race was something that they could finish if they could just get started!
I don’t want you to miss what is said in verse 13. Paul is talking about perspective (think about what we talked about last Friday). Paul is saying I don’t want to look at what I left behind, but I want to move toward what is ahead, what God has called me to, and when I look at things from that perspective, life gets a bit better.
Paul emphasizes finishing the race and receiving the heavenly prize. What is that prize? Is it heaven? Is it something else? Paul would have thought it was at least two things. One would have been heaven, for sure. But the other would have been the presence of God that was unending. This, of course, could be seen as heaven. But we sometimes use heaven as an escape route from being present here on this earth. The truth is that Paul was extremely present in his life, but he also knew the presence of God in his life, and this allowed him to handle anything that was thrown at him.
- What is the perspective you have on your life? Are you looking back or looking forward?
- What do you think Paul was looking forward to as the reward for finishing the race?
- Did Paul say anything about winning the race? Or just finishing?
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