A New Year’s Assessment 2022
Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. KJV
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.[c] For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! 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,[d] 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. NLT
Introduction: All kinds of organizations and individuals use this time of the year to assess and reassess their business or their job. Paul is considered the greatest example of what it means to be a Christ follower found anywhere in the NT yet even he felt the need to think reflectively and assess where he was at on his spiritual journey. This morning I’d like to take a few minutes to examine what he has to say on this subject.
I. The Address
a. The setting – This is considered a prison epistle. Many of us probably feel like 2021 was a difficult year but at least we are not in jail.
b. The brethren – The church at Philippi would have to be considered Paul’s greatest triumph. He loved them and they returned his love with prayers and financial support for his ministry. Paul is seeking to encourage and edify these believes.
II. The Appraisal
a. The evaluation – He was short of his goal. “12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.” NLT
Where are you at on your faith journey as we start this New Year? Are you closer to the Lord today than you were at this same time last year?
III. The Action – It’s focus
a. Forgetting those things which are behind.
our past fears, our past focus, and our past failures.
b. Reaching forth unto those things which are before.
c. I press toward
Wrapped up in the word “press” (dioko) is the idea of pressure. Occurring three times in Philippians 3:4-14, “dioko” intermittently describes “to follow,” “to pursue,” “to persecute,” or “to flee,” suggesting impassioned pursuit. Paul says that he follows after Christ in strong pursuit, but he also describes how, in his former life, he persecuted the church with zeal (v. 6). There is an element of violence, urgency, and desperation implied here—one that we can adapt for ourselves: To press in on anything that would jeopardize God’s purpose in us. Not by legalistic mandate, but by the manifest passion and purity of our own pursuit of what Jesus has called each of us to be.
Paul writes, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (v. 12). He’s talking about maintaining compass-like direction, for life depends on it. He’s staying on course, refusing the vanity of imagination, for he knows there is no more wonderful, creative person in the universe than the Son of God. And the maximization of the creativity He pours into us will always be in proportion to our humility before Him. Jack Hayford
IV. The Aim
a. “…the goal 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. NLT
In the 1992 Olympic games in Barcelona, one of the greatest candidates for the gold medal in the 400-meter run was Derek Redmond of Britain. Just 150 meters out, his Achilles tendon snapped. A startled gasp erupted out of the crowd as they watched him stumble, then catch himself and continue. Limping painfully down the course, he remained intent on finishing the race, no matter how long it took. As the other runners sped by, a figure pushed his way out of the stands and onto the track. Redmond’s father put his arm around him, lifted his son’s arm over his shoulder, and helped him to finish the race. It is a marvelous illustration of God’s enormous mercy and grace when failure or brokenness besets us on the path toward our goals. If we will just stay on track, we can go the distance, because we have a heavenly Father who will come, put His arms around us, undergird us, and see us through to the end. Jack Hayford
