Sunday, March 12, 2000   

Greek stadiums much like our modern football stadiums were found in the major cities and smaller fields in the countryside. Of course the purpose of the race was to reach the goal and win the prize. Paul wanted to do good for his savior; he wanted to run with patience the race set before him.

I. VERSE 12c, THE STARTING LINE

     A. The starting line is where the race begins. Paul says, "I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

          1. Paul was arrested on the road to Damascus. It is there that Jesus saved him: it is there that his race began.

          2. Right there on the road to Damascus, Paul began his race by saying: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

                a. Paul was out of the starting blocks quickly. The former persecutor of the church, the hater of the church, was not willing to serve the Lord Jesus because of the work of God making him willing (Psalm 110:3).

                b. Acts 9:20 says; "And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues that he is the Son of God."

     B. Anyone who runs the race must begin at the beginning. You can't just barge into the race several laps in front of the starting point. To do so means you are disqualified and that you lose.

          1. There are those who make the mistake of jumping into the race of salvation without beginning at the beginning.

          2. There are those who think that salvation is:

               a. Doing good - we are to do good once we are saved; but doing good does not save anyone.

               b. Some turn over a new leaf pleading to do better.

               c. Some are baptized without being first saved (Acts 2:41),

               d. Some go to church regularly.

               e. Others read their Bibles daily.

               f. Still others try to help other folks, but none of these will save you.

               g. Nicodemus, I imagine, could have and might have used all of these arguments, but Jesus said you have to start at the beginning, at the start of the line. "Ye must be born again."

      C. Paul was saved, apprehended, arrested on the Damascus Road. Where were you saved? The place and time are not important; the important thing is to start at the beginning.

II. VERSES 12-13, THE STEADY COURSE

     A. The race was not over. Paul had not, at this point, finished the race. "Not as though I had already attained.."

          1. In Paul's word you can feel his dedication, determination, and humility.

          2. Paul knew he hadn't made it; he knew that he didn't know it all; he had not arrived.

          3 Paul, under the authority of the church at Antioch, had founded churches in Galatia, Lystra, Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica, Corinth. Eohesus. etc.; but he knew he had not arrived.

          4. Paul had much to do and much to learn. He knew he was not perfect.

               a. The Greek word used here for perfect is telos meaning "full grown in contradistinction to underdeveloped; mature in mind, one who is qualified in a subject as opposed to a mere learner".

               b. Paul is saying that he is by no means a complete Christian. He is pressing on, listening, learning. So he says:

     B. "But I follow after" Paul kept moving; he could not, he would not stand still in his Christian experience.

          1. To "follow after' means to pursue, to keep on keeping on.

          2. He presses on with the purpose of grasping what he has not grasped before.

               a. In Hebrews 6:1, Paul says: "Let us go on.." Paul knew that salvation was the starting place, not the stopping place.

               b. It is in Hebrews 12:1 that we read: "And let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Paul is an athlete with endurance; he will go on; he will not be hindered; he will not stop. Those things that would weigh him down are laid aside (Hebrews 12:1).

     C. Arrested with a purpose. "That I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

          1. Every believer has been apprehended for a purpose. God got a hold of you for a reason. So dear one, you must press on.

          2. Romans 8:28-33.

     D. Verse 13a, "This one thing I do..." Paul had not yet made it, and he knew it so he says: "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind."

          1. He was not and would not live in the past. No racer can be successful if he keeps looking back.

               a. Some dwell on their past sinfulness, and it hinders them. To those who are saved, those who have received pardon, God says: "...their sins and iniquities will I remember no more' (Hebrews 10:17). Don't dig up the past. True belief settled the old account.

               b. Learn what lessons your failures can teach you, and forsake and forget them.

               c. "Forgetting those things which are behind" also means that we cannot live on past blessings or the memories of past glories. We must press on to new heights. Thank God for previous success, then go on.

               d. The child of God must forget what he has done, and remember what still has to be done. There is no place for the Christian to quit.

          2. "Reaching forth unto those things which are before."

               a. The Greek word for "reaching forth" pictures the runner as he goes hard for the tape, stretching out to reach the finish line. This means to go flat out with your eyes on nothing but the goal.

               b. "Paul was a firm believer in the doctrine of election, 'before the foundation of the world' (Ephesians 1:4) But not in election apart from human responsibility" (Hendriksen 171).

III. VERSES 14, THE STOPPING PLACE (END OF THE RACE)

     A. As a child of God, you are in a spiritual race; and you need to press on. "Press" means "to press on, to pursue, run swiftly to reach the goal." Paul is looking toward the finish line here, and he says press on.

     B. "The Mark" There is a marked out course, and there is a mark that marks out the finish line.

          1. In II Timothy 4:7, Paul is near the end and says: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have fought a good fight."

          2. He had followed the narrow way and did not become "a castaway" (I Corinthians 9:27).

     C. "The prize" - Could this be "well done thou good and faithful servant"? There are crowns to be earned, so we can cast them at Jesus' feet. To get the prize, you must run by the rules (II Timothy 2:5).

     D. "The high calling." This is an upward calling. It started with the Gospel call, continues with a call to holiness, and will one day be a call to heaven itself. God summons us upwardly continually.

IV. VERSES 15-16, STEADFAST AND STEADY

     A. Verse 15, The word "perfect" means to be 'mature." This exhortation is to mature believers.

          1. The Pilgrim's Study Bible has this footnote: "Perfect As though Paul were saying, 'Let us who are full-grown Christians keep those things in mind"' (1550).

               a. Be steadfast, devoted to the task.

               b. Keep pressing on the upward way.

     2. Not all at Philippi were as devoted as they should or could be. Paul reminds these believers that God will open their minds if they seek the truth (Psalm 25:14).

     B. Verse 16, Live up to the righteous position you have attained in Christ (Romans 8:1).

CONCLUSION: Run the race of faith with determination and devotion. Make sure you began at the beginning.