"Running the Christian Race Well"

On April 15th, 2013 two terrorist took part in a bombing at the Boston Marathon. There were many of us who took part in watching this right before our eyes. Three people lost their lives and hundreds were injured. A year after this tragic event took place on April 19th, 2014 I remember sitting down to watch this race. There was an American runner by the name of Meb Keflezighi who along with another US runner Ryan Hall set out to win the race. They both started out strong, but were up against tough competition from the always present and amazing Kenyans. Meb wanted to win the race and become the first American since 1983 to do so. I remembering watching as Meb was running down Boylston street people were chanting USA and Meb crossed the finish line in first place. On the corner of his bib number, Meb wrote down the names of those victims who lost their lives. It was an amazing day for this great runner.

Here in our text today we find that Paul uses a running illustration to describe the life of a Christian. Last week we talked about the importance of knowing Christ, but today we see the importance of running hard after Christ, or running the race well. If you are a Christian today, than this is our goal. We should all have a desire to be growing in spiritual maturity.

My purpose today as we go back over our passage, is not to make you feel condemned but to let this passage convict us. There is a big difference between feeling condemned and feeling convicted. As believers Romans 8:1 tells us that we are free from condemnation. We have been set free because of what Christ has done for us. However, as Christians we will face conviction. In fact, this is a way that God shows us that He loves us. If there are things in our lives as believers that we don’t need to be doing than we should be convicted of that as well as things that we should be doing for the Lord but are not.

“Four things to Keep in Mind as we grow in our Faith”

1. Spiritual maturity does not mean that we are perfect little Christians.

Philippians 3:12–13 ESV

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. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

What we know about Paul and his writings, are that often times including like here in Philippi, false teachers had come in and were teaching that there were things people had to add to their faith in Christ. Because of this there came a certain mindset that you must almost be perfect spiritually in your walk with God. We all know that this is impossible. Paul writes to the Romans that there is none righteous no not one. As we learned last week Paul said that his past accomplishments were all rubbish compared to knowing Jesus. What this shows us is that Paul realized that he was not a perfect little Christian, and how much he desperately needed the Lord as he journeyed through this life.

Here in verse 13 we see that Paul uses a running analogy or illustration to drive his point across. Paul is straining forward like a sprinter trying to cross the finish line. The race of our Christian life is a life that is of perseverance. This race is definitely not easy. The gospel had humbled the Apostle Paul and we know this because we can look at where he was as a religious Pharisee and how Christ now had changed his life. Paul here tells the Philippians that he is not perfect in order to help them understand that Christianity is not about legalism or perfectionism. Paul wants them to understand that he is a Christian just like them, as is not a superhuman who is perfect and flawless.

Running the Christian race well means that we are becoming more and more like Jesus. We are excited about His word and talking with him through prayer. We are excited to bring other people along with us and help them know Jesus as well. One of the things that takes place in our lives when we humbly acknowledge that we need to grow in Christ is that our view of others will change. Here is what I mean.

-First of all we will be less critical of others. Why? Because we realize that we need to be growing as well.

-We will also use different words. Kind, uplifting and encouraging.

-We will grow less self-righteous.

-We will have a desire to show others grace.

-And finally, we will have a greater love for our Savior because we will realize how much we need his grace.

2. Keep running after a growing knowledge of God.

Philippians 3:14 ESV

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul realizes here that he is not perfect and he wants the Philippians to understand this. But, Paul also knows that we can’t just coast through the Christian life. We can’t just use this point to become complacent in our relationship with the Lord. Paul is fired up here. He is pressing on and reaching forward to what is ahead. Paul is running after the prize set before him. And the prize is pursuing a growing knowledge of the Lord. To know the Lord, is to become more and more like him. The Christian race is not something we can just be passive about. In fact, the New Testament talks about how as believers we must be disciplined. Here are just a few verses to help us see this.

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 ESV

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

So we are to be self-controlled, disciplined, laying aside anything that does not help us focus our attention on the Lord. Let me ask you today, do you have a passion to pursue the Lord like this?

There is something else I want us to see here about growing in our knowledge of the Lord. When we go back to verse 13 Paul mentions that we must forget what lies behind and strain or reach forward. As runners we must forget what is behind us. This word forget carries the meaning of, to neglect overlook, or care nothing about. In other words, Paul is not only forgetting about his past accomplishments but also his past failures.

Please hear me today church, your past does not have to determine your future. If you have experienced a terrible childhood, abuse, or have made some really bad mistakes, then yes there have been some consequences to that, but that does not have to determine the rest of your life. Why??? Because Jesus is way more powerful than that. Every Christian down through the ages has failed God at some point, and yes we must deal with our sin, but we don’t have to let Satan continue to bring up past accusations against us if Christ has forgiven us of that.

So, the one thing that Paul does here is that he focuses on pursuing a greater knowledge of God. He is straining ahead to know the Lord more and more and so should we. Let me ask you today, what one change could you make in order to pursue the one thing that matters most?

-Negatively, what sin or habit or activity do you need to throw off so that you can run the race better?

-Positively, what could you begin to do that you are not doing right now? Paul was never satisfied with his knowledge of Christ. He wanted more, and he wanted others to know more.

3. Follow after Godly examples.

Philippians 3:15–19 ESV

Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

One of the things that my youth pastor use to tell me was that who I follow after matters. If i had bad friends who were doing really bad things, then generally I would follow after them and do some not so good things. However if I followed after good godly friends, than I would most likely want to do good things that honored the Lord. Here, Paul points to himself as an example. “Join in imitating me is what he says.” Paul also gave us Timothy and Epaphroditus as examples. However, Jesus is our ultimate example of who we should follow. A faithful Christian should follow Jesus along side everyone else, and this pursuit is a life long journey.

Paul tells the Philippians to keep their eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. But what may that look like? We know that in the Bible there were many faithful leaders, and here are just a few things that were present in their lives. They put others needs ahead of their own. They did not grumble or complain. They poured out their lives for the sake of the gospel. And they observed sound teaching in order to help others. In our day and age we need to look to those who have good godly marriages. We need to follow those who are praying and giving, showing others neighborly love. As believers we should have a desire to imitate faithful examples and eventually to be one. We should find people who have been captured by God’s Word and His call, and spend time with them.

One other thing that I need to mention here and I want to be quick. Paul is concerned that we watch out for the enemies of the cross, notice this in verse 18. In fact, he clearly has shed some tears over this, and is broken hearted that people walked away from following the Lord. Paul mentions that their god is their belly and they glory in their shame. This means that they are focused on earthly things, things of the flesh that are not glorifying to God. We need to lift up our eyes to the Lord and not live for the things of this life.

These are the type of people we don’t need to follow after, and Paul wants us to see that before he moves on, who we follow after does matter. Follow those who are following Jesus passionately.

4. Be reminded that your permanent residency is in heaven.

Philippians 3:20–21 ESV

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

What Paul is doing here is reminding us that we are not home yet. We have something so much better to look forward to. Our forever citizenship is Heaven church. What Paul wants us to see here is that because we as believers are different in our speech and actions and care for the world, that people will look at us and see that we are different. People will look at us and go, you are not from around here. And we can say yeah my citizenship is not of this world but from heaven. I am a Christian and I am just passing through this old earth to something much better.

Here is what C.S Lewis said about this: “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world (heaven) that they have become so ineffective in this world.”

Paul is looking forward to his future home and is awaiting his Savior who is Christ Jesus, notice this in verse 20. Paul knows that his Savior is not Caesar. Caesar may of thought he was the most powerful person ever, he might of thought he was the Savior of Rome, but there will only ever be one Savior and that is Jesus. Paul was living his life eagerly waiting for Christ. As Christians we have the most exciting news ever, because we know what Jesus has done for us. We should make every effort to know more about him and help others do the same, and as we do this we wait for the Lord and our future home with him. I want to share this illustration with you today to help us see things in light of eternity.

(Illustration of the rope) The red represents this life here on earth, and the white represents the rest of eternity. What should occupy our hearts the most? This short life or the rest of eternity? I hope we get the point. Church let us set our hearts and minds on Christ and on our heavenly citizenship.