As we get started today, I wanted to speak about finishing the race. Not so much about the end, but about the trials and issues we all have on the way. I will be spending a lot of time in Philippians chapter 3 if you’d like to follow along in your Bibles.
We heard a few minutes ago about the goal that God has for us. We see there in Philippians chapter 3, Paul is telling us about pressing on to the goal that Christ Jesus has for us in heaven. It isn’t a thin medal we get to wear around our neck. It is a hundred times more important. A thousand times more important. More than a million times more important and valuable than any gold medal we have ever seen. It is… eternal life in heaven with our Father. Paul points out some good things to remember. First He reminds us to face forward. I am sure we have all heard the phrase, to keep our eyes on Jesus. It isn’t just a pretty hymn. It means, when others around us are sinning, watch Him (point heavenward) for guidance. It means when those around us are quitting or giving in to the Devil’s plans, Keep our eyes where they belong.
Many of us may have seen the newest movies by C.S. Lewis. “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, or “Prince Caspian”. But he wrote some other books that are pretty amazing, even for fiction. In one book called “The Screwtape Letters”, a fictional book about a relationship between the devil and his supposed nephew named ‘Wormwood’. Regarding the subject of how to sabotage the church the devil counseled his nephew,
The Devil says, ‘The church is a fertile field if you just keep them bickering over details, structure, organization, money, property, personal hurts and misunderstandings. One thing you must prevent: don’t let them ever look up and see the banners flying, for if they ever see the banners flying then you have lost them forever’. The book is only fiction. However the lesson is as true as the world we live in. If we keep our eyes where they are supposed to be, the Devil doesn’t have a prayer, or a place in our lives.
There in verse 13 he goes on to tell us to forget what is behind us, and focus or strain towards what is ahead of us. Now we each know a lot of people. But I don’t know anyone who has not had trials in their life. I do not know, even one person who has not had hard times, or at least times away from God, where they haven’t always been as faithful as they could be. And that is Paul’s point to us here. He shows us first, that he isn’t perfect either. He shows us that he is in the same boat that we are. And then he gives us the lesson. He says, forget what is behind, and strain towards what is ahead. You see God knows everything we have done. And by accepting Christ into our lives, to be the leader of our lives, God has forgiven all of those things. He is looking into our future. He wants us to do the same. Forget what happened in the past, work towards the goal in front of you.
Now before you think this is some obscure verse, it seems to be a reoccurring theme in God’s Word. We find Paul telling the church in Corinth about preparing for a race in 1st Corinthians chapter 9. He goes on to tell them, if they want to finish the race and receive the prize, they must prepare. And later in 1st Timothy and 2nd Timothy we see it again. It is training that allows a racer to finish what they started. We are guided on how to prepare for such a long race. With training. With guidance from God. In that verse in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 5, we read, “Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.”
But as we look into Philippians chapter 3 we see we not only need to look forward not backward, and strain towards the amazing prize God has for us, but we see there in verse 15, we are called to be mature in these things. That means, if we aren’t taking time out of our daily lives to be with God, we should be. If we aren’t reading His word regularly, we should be. If we aren’t exercising the gifts God gave us for ministry, we should be. And when we want to be trained in finishing the race, and we sometimes see things differently than this, then God will make it clear to you that this is what mature believers need to do. We read it in different words in Hebrew 6 verse 1. It says, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.”
You notice God doesn’t say we get to pick and choose which scripture verses we like and throw the rest away. He doesn’t say we can skip over the parts that say we should be moral, and honest. He says, with the inspiration of God behind every word Paul writes, that if we think differently, it is our problem, not God’s and we need to allow God to tell us the correct way. And as we read there at the end of verse 15, God will make it clear to you, if you ask Him to. Do you see what he is getting at? If we find times where we don’t agree with God’s Word, it is us who need to change, not the Word. So, the first part of the lesson keeps us facing the goal and not thinking about all those things that happened before. That keeps us focused on the important thing in our lives, Jesus Christ and the place He has for us in heaven, if we finish the race. Then the lesson shifts to getting to, and being mature believers. And that helps us stay on track. We should be of the same mind, of the same message, or we stand the chance of going off the racetrack. A marathon runner that doesn’t watch the signs and where he is going, can run off the track and get disqualified. And as it says, God will make it clear to us, what to do and where to go, if we are mature believers. Lastly, we are reminded to live up to that which we have already attained. You see, Christian maturity involves acting on that which we have already learned. We don’t need to keep searching for truth. We found it already. Many people make excuses that we always have more to learn. Very true, we always do have more to learn. However, then we tend to forget all the lessons we already know. We all should know, we aren’t supposed to cheat. We aren’t supposed to steal, we aren’t supposed to lie. We aren’t supposed to murder. Those are the easier ones. But what about the two simple commandments Jesus gave us personally? Love God with all of our heart, our soul and our mind? And the big one, or the hard one for many of us. Love others as we love ourselves. There are only two rules, but we are expected to remember them and follow them all the time. Not most of the time, not all the time except when we are angry, but all the time, period. We can’t start over every day as brand new baby believers, learning the basics all over again. To be a mature believer, we know those lessons, we act on those lessons and we discontinue with the old things we did when we were unbelievers. If we are doing the same things, behaving in the same way, how are we any different than anyone else in this world? Well, we aren’t. But believers are supposed to be. They should be recognizable by their speech. By their actions, and by there habits. They should be seen by others as different from the world. That verse I mentioned earlier is in 1st Timothy, chapter 4, verse 12. It says, “ Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come devote yourself to the public reading of scripture, to preaching and to teaching.” As Paul is giving instruction to Timothy and the leaders of all churches, I think as mature believers, we should be taking the same advice. The things we do differently from the other people in the world, set us apart. That is what the word sanctified means. “To be set apart.”
Finishing a race, takes strength, we find it in God. Finishing the race takes guidance, we find it in God’s Word. Finishing the race takes perseverance, we find it in the lessons we learn, and act on. We should each become a mature believer. Let me give you an example.
General William Booth, the founder of The Salvation Army, was losing his eyesight. His son Bramwell was given the difficult task of telling his father there would be no recovery. "Do you mean that I am blind?" the General asked. "I hear we must contemplate that," his son replied. The father continued, "I shall never see your face again?" "No, probably not in this world." "Bramwell," said General Booth, "I have done what I could for God and for His people with my eyes. Now I shall do what I can for God without my eyes." Nothing was going to stop William Booth from serving God’s purpose!
Are we any different? General Booth was just a man. Catherine wrote many of his sermons, as I understand it, she was also an amazing preacher herself. She was, in many cases, the strength that kept him going. But they were only a man and woman, just like we are. Did they have some secret strength that we don’t know about? Of course not! Their strength is the same one offered to us when times get hard. Their strength is the same strength that is offered to you to act out the lessons and lifestyle you learn from God’s Word. Their strength comes from their faith that the Son of God died for them, was raised for them and awaits them in heaven with their prize of eternal life!
As we go about our separate ways, I want to leave you with a story of perseverance. A real life story about finishing the race. It is the story of Derek Redmond, a runner in the 1992 Olympics. Derek was competing for the medal in the 400 meter race. Less than half-way through, he ripped a hamstring muscle and fell to the ground in agony. While the rest of the runners ran past him, Derek managed to get to his feet and began struggling to move forward. Then something caught the attention of the television cameras. An older man wearing blue shorts and a Nike hat pushed past a security guard onto the race track. It was Derek's father, Jim. At first Derek shrugged him away, saying, "I'm going to finish the race." Jim said to his son, "We've started everything together. We'll finish this together."
He put his arm around his son and held him as they crossed the finish line together. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause; it has become a classic moment in sports. Your Father in heaven is not much different than Derek’s father, Jim. Except he loves you more, is stronger, and can carry you much farther. If you let Him, he will help you finish the race. He will give you strength, and help you train, help you learn to use your gifts, so they don’t go to waste. And He will be there to give you an amazing trophy, bigger than anything you have ever seen. He will give you life, forever, in His presence. That is the goal we are running for. That is the prize we will receive, if we persevere, and finish the race we have started. God bless each of you, as you go back out into the world, and be the athlete God wants you to be.
