We’ve been looking to Paul’s summary of the life of King David to learn principles that should guide us in the decisions we make in our life as individuals and as a congregation.
We’ve said that we need to live our life serving God’s purpose of seeing His will be done on earth as it is done in heaven; that just as Christ was willing to make whatever adjustments were necessary to provide salvation, we should be willing to make whatever adjustments are necessary to tell others about that salvation.
We’ve said that we need to live our life serving our generation. That we should be willing to do whatever it takes to pass along our faith to the next generation and the generation after that.
“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.” - Psalm 71:18 (NIV)
Today, I want us to go on to consider a third principle taught by the example of David’s life as summarized by Paul. (READ TEXT)
Paul says that David served God’s purpose in his generation until he drew his final breath. In other words, how do I know God still has something for me to do? Well, “I ain’t dead yet!” As long as I’m alive, there is some way, by which I can still serve God’s purpose in my generation (Refer to Philippians 3:12-14).
When Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, he was, by every estimation, coming to the end of his life. First, we know he was writing this letter from a Roman jail cell and was potentially facing execution. Additionally, since Paul wrote this letter at the same time he wrote the book of Philemon, we know he was advanced in years, for in Philemon 9, he refers to himself as, “Paul - an old man.”
Now, it’s with the reality of his own mortality in mind and the imminent end of his life before him, that Paul says what he does in Philippians 3:12-14 (READ TEXT).
Paul speaks in verse 12 - 13a about how Christ saved him with a plan in mind for his life. He saved us with a plan in mind for us as well. That plan is that we serve God’s purpose in our generation until the day we leave this life and move on to the next. That’s because our pursuit of God’s plan for our life is a life-long pursuit as Paul makes clear.
Paul’s example tells us that there are three things to do if we are going to serve God’s purpose in our generation until our last breath.
1. Forget the past - v. 13a
When Paul speaks about forgetting the past, he’s not speaking of erasing our memory. Indeed, remembering lessons taught us from our past failures and past successes can benefit us in the present. But there is a sense in which we need to forget our past if we are going to serve God’s purpose in our generation until our last breath.
A. We mustn’t let past failures keep us from moving forward.
“One of Satan’s strongest weapons against Christians is to bring up our past failures and embarrassments to discourage us and tell us that we can’t go on for Christ.” - Jack Graham
The devil wants to pile up the rubbish and ruins from our past to block our progress. Nehemiah and his fellow Jews who went to Jerusalem to rebuild the city’s walls, found piles of rubble from the destruction of the city. All the physical rubbish the workers had to deal with was a reminder of past failures and defeats for Jerusalem.
But Nehemiah was determined to not let the failures of the past keep him and the Jews from moving forward! Likewise, if you get caught up in all of the junk of the past, you’ll get weighed down and not move forward. That’s why we need to put the failures of our past in the past!
B. We mustn’t let past successes keep us from moving forward.
Now, this may sound strange, but sometimes past success can stop us from moving forward in our walk with God as much as can our past failures. We call this “resting on our laurels.”
In the Greek games of the ancient world, the victor was crowned with a laurel wreath. But the winner could not “rest on his laurels” if he wanted to remain a champion. Every athlete learns this truth from experience. A sure and quick way to go downhill from the peak of performance is to stop training when the race or season is over and just rest on past accomplishments.
Too often, individual Christians and whole congregations can see their progress for Christ halted because they are so fixated on past successes, that they do not recognize today’s assignments and challenges. When remembering past success causes you to fail to recognize presence challenges, it’s time to refocus your life.
2. Focus on the future - v. 13b
As Paul focused on the future, he was determined to finish well. The imagery here is that of a runner stretching toward the finish line.
The Christian life is a marathon, not a 100-yard dash. Since finishing a marathon well isn’t easy, when you see a man who sprints across the finish line, you ought to try to find out his secret. Paul was such a man.
“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.” - 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (CSB)
Second Timothy is considered by most scholars to be the final letter Paul wrote before he was executed in Rome. This passage is a powerful testimony of one who did, indeed, finish well. How did he do it?
Paul was able to finish well (v. 6) . . .
A. Because of his investment in the next generation.
Verse 6 begins with the pronoun “I,” which contrasts with the “you” of verse 5, along with the connective “for” (read verse 5). The flow is this: “Timothy, you preach the Word even in the face of opposition, because I am about to die. I’m handing you the torch to carry!”
B. Because he viewed his life as an offering to God.
After a sacrificial lamb had been placed on the altar, just before it was lit on fire, the priest would pour out on it about a quart of wine (Numbers 28:7). It was the final sacrifice poured out on the existing sacrifice. That’s how Paul viewed his death. His whole life had been a living sacrifice presented to God. Now, his death would be the drink offering poured out on top of that.
Paul fully surrendered his life to God to do with as God pleased. So he didn’t view his execution as cruel or unfair. He didn’t face his death with complaint, but with confidence. He saw his death and the manner of it as part of God’s plan; as a final way to honor God and glorify Him; and the culminating offering of a sacrificial life.
C. Because he viewed his death as a completion of his assignment.
The Greek word translated, “departure” referred to the unyoking of an animal from a plow or cart, signifying the completion of a job.
Like Jesus, Paul could say, “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4 NLT). Therefore, he knew he could hold his head up high when he stood before the Lord, because the Lord would reward him for a job well done.
“Beginning well is a momentary thing; finishing well is a lifelong thing.” - Ravi Zacharias
3. Get busy in the present - v. 14
Paul said that until he drew his final breath, he’d be busy “pressing on toward the goal.” What goal? “The prize for which God called him heavenward.” But notice, he wasn’t waiting until he got to heaven; this prize was something he sought to win now. What was he talking about?
Do you remember what we said about God’s purpose? We said that God’s purpose is for His will to be done on earth as it’s done in heaven. When we come to Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit who is present with us, we can now see God’s purpose fulfilled in our lives, as we do His will on earth as it’s done in heaven. And when we invest in the next generation and pass the faith on to others, we’re welcoming others to join us in the great adventure of doing God’s will on earth as it’s done in heaven. Now, in 2 Timothy 4:8, what does Paul say?
“There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.”
Those who’ve honored God with their lives will receive a reward, but the prize for which God has called us heavenward is the prize of doing God’s will in His presence forever.
One day, when we’re in God’s presence, we’ll do His will; but now, as we do His will, we experience His presence! That’s what Paul means when he says that those who live well and end well, do so because they “love His appearing.” In other words, they love it when God shows up and shows off. But actually, God is always present. So in reality, we come to experience His presence when we show up!
“For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to show himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him.”
- 2 Chronicles 16:9 (CSB)
Conclusion: Are you showing up daily? Are you willing to daily seek to serve God’s purpose in this generation until your dying breath. Folks, God still has a plan for us, because “we ain’t dead yet!”
