Never Give Up, Never Surrender Series

Last week, we kicked off our series "Back At It," and we talked about how Jesus meets us where we are, even when we've drifted back to our old ways. We looked at the story of Jesus cooking breakfast for His disciples on the shore, calling them back to their true purpose. Today, we're going to continue that theme, but we're going to look at it from a slightly different angle. You know, it's funny how life works sometimes. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, just when you think you're on top of your game, something happens that makes you realize you've still got a long way to go. It reminds me of a story I heard about a high school valedictorian.

This young woman had worked incredibly hard throughout her high school career. She had the highest GPA in her class, was involved in numerous extracurricular activities, and had just been accepted to her dream college. On graduation day, she stood at the podium, ready to deliver her valedictory speech. She was confident, prepared, and excited to share her wisdom with her classmates. But as she began to speak, she realized something horrifying – she had forgotten to include the second page of her speech. There she was, the smartest kid in the school, standing in front of everyone speechless. Nothing to say. Now, I'm sure in that moment, she felt like all her hard work and accomplishments didn't matter. She probably wanted to run off the stage and hide. But you know what? She didn't. She took a deep breath, and continued the best that she could from memory, and she made it through her speech. And I bet that moment taught her more about resilience and humility than any of her academic achievements.

Life has a way of reminding us that no matter how far we've come, no matter how much we've accomplished, we're all still works in progress. And that's exactly what we're going to talk about today as we dive into Philippians 3:12-16. Now, I don't know about you, but sometimes the prospect of getting back into our faith, especially after we've drifted, can feel pretty intimidating. It's like looking at a mountain you need to climb, and you're not sure you have the energy or the equipment to do it. Maybe you've been away from church for a while, or you've let your prayer life slide. Maybe you've fallen back into old habits or patterns of thinking that you thought you'd left behind. And now, the idea of "getting back at it" feels overwhelming.

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But you know what? Sometimes there's power in simple slogans, in those short phrases that can motivate us and keep us going when things get tough. It reminds me of a movie some of you might remember - "Galaxy Quest." Has anyone seen it? For those who haven't, it's a comedy about the cast of a cancelled sci-fi TV show who get caught up in a real intergalactic conflict.

In the movie, the captain, played by Tim Allen, is famous for his catchphrase:

“Never give up, never surrender.”

The Journey of Faith is Ongoing (Philippians 3:12)

Let's start by looking at Philippians 3:12. Paul writes:

“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.”

— Philippians 3:12 (ESV)

Now, let's pause here for a moment. Paul, this spiritual giant, this man who had encountered the risen Christ, who had planted churches across the Roman Empire, who had written most of the New Testament – this Paul says:

“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.”

— Philippians 3:12 (ESV, emphasis added)

Paul is admitting something here that I think we all need to hear: the journey of faith is ongoing. It's not a one-and-done deal. It's not like we accept Christ and suddenly we've "arrived" spiritually. Paul, who had arguably one of the most dramatic conversion experiences in history, who had been caught up to the third heaven and seen things he couldn't even describe – this Paul says he hasn't obtained perfection yet. You know, it's easy for us to put biblical figures like Paul on a pedestal. We read about their faith and their accomplishments, and we think, "Wow, they really had it all together. They were spiritual giants. Not like me with all my doubts and struggles." But here's Paul, this hero of the faith, saying, "I'm not there yet. I'm still on the journey."

This reminds me of a story I once heard about a world-class violinist. This violinist was known for his incredible skill and the beauty of his music. One day, after a particularly moving performance, a fan came up to him and said, "I'd give my life to play like you!" The violinist smiled sadly and replied, "I have."