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PRESSING ON

Joy for the Journey, Part 8

June 15, 2008

Pastor Bob Sanders

Philippians 3:7-16

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

    12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

    15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Two Roadblocks

There are two major roadblocks to spiritual growth, and those who desire to grow must recognize them.  One is to become compulsive in our life with God.  We looked at that approach last week – the whole idea of performance religion where we work so hard to earn God’s approval, where no matter how “religious” we are it’s never good enough.  Compulsive, driven, legalistic spirituality – that’s one roadblock to growth. 

The other roadblock is to become complacent in our life with God.  Spiritual complacency says, “I’ve arrived.  I don’t need to deepen my faith or develop my character.”  Spiritual complacency wants to be comfortable, to not have to make any changes or take any risks.  It’s what author Wilbur Rees was thinking about when he wrote these words:

I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. 

Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. 

I don't want enough of God to make me love a black man [or provide a home for a Hispanic family]. 

I want ecstasy, not transformation. 

I want the warmth of the womb, not a new birth. 

I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack.  I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. 1

I hope you came here today looking for more than that, because I have to tell you Jesus Christ calls us not to comfort and complacency but to transformation and growth.  Those who answer his call find themselves on a journey of faith, an adventure that lasts a lifetime.

Our Most Important Product

Today is Father’s Day, and when I was growing up my father worked for the General Electric Company.  I think I’ve told you how from time to time he’d bring home calendars or note pads from his office, each one emblazoned with what was then the G.E. motto.  In recent years the company slogan has been “G.E. – We Bring Good Things to Life.”  But back then it was “Progress Is Our Most Important Product.”  I’m not sure what General Electric had in mind, but I’ve always thought that made a pretty good motto for the Christian life.

Remember what Paul said in the first chapter of Philippians, how the God “who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil.1:6).  That says God isn’t finished with me yet.  That says I’m a work in progress – progress in my knowledge of Jesus Christ – who he is and what he’s done for me.  Progress in having his grace and forgiveness heal the broken places of my life.  Progress in having my character rehabbed into something resembling Christ’s character – his compassion and mercy, his wisdom and courage.  Progress in doing Christ’s work in the world – sharing his story with those around me, doing justice, feeding the hungry, serving the needy. 

Too many Christians settle for a complacency, a dull stagnation in their faith.  Or worse, a phony perfectionism that says, “I’ve arrived.  I’ve got it all together.”  I don’t about you, but I can tell most assuredly I don’t have it all together.  God isn’t finished with me yet.  And yes, progress is a most important product in my Christian life.

In our passage from Philippians 3 Paul is describing his own faith journey.  As we saw last week, he tells us how he first tried to earn God’s approval by doing all the right religious activities, having the right pedigree, earning enough spiritual brownie points.  But it didn’t work.  Performance religion never works.  Look at verse 7 again:

But whatever were gains to me [all those awards and achievements and accomplishments I’d earned] I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

And then in verse 10 Paul shares his goal, his new ambition: “I want to know Christ,” he says.  Not just know about Christ.  No, says Paul, I want to know Jesus Christ in a life-changing, transforming relationship.  I want to know the power of his resurrection, even if that means sharing in his sufferings and death.  Whatever it takes, Paul says, I want to know Jesus Christ.

Has he already attained this?  Is he already there?  Listen to verses 12 and following again:

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I find that statement absolutely amazing.  This isn’t some rookie talking.  This isn’t some half-baked new convert.  This is the apostle Paul, who met the Lord Jesus face-to-face on the road to Damascus, who has been following hard after Jesus Christ, serving him and seeking him for the past thirty years.  “Listen,” he says, “I haven’t arrived yet.  I’m still striving to know Christ.  I’m not there yet, but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead – like a runner surging toward the finish line – I press on to take hold of this wonderful Lord who first took hold of me.”

Spiritual Maturity

Then in verse 15 Paul says something equally amazing: “All of us who are mature should take such a point of view.”  What does Paul mean by “mature”?  What does a mature believer look like?  Catch this.  Paul says spiritually mature men and women are those who share his point of view, who see themselves not as finished products but as people in process.  In other words, if you think you’ve arrived, if you think you’ve just fine where you are, then you’re not mature.  Spiritual maturity is not a state of polished perfection.  Maturity is marked by a gnawing hunger for more of Christ.  Maturity means forgetting what lies behind – the victories as well as the failures – and straining toward what lies ahead – pressing on toward Christ today and tomorrow. 

Immature Christians are content to stay where they are.  Some are complacent and self-satisfied.  Some are fearful and discouraged.  But they’ve stopped progressing in their journey of faith.  What was meant to be an adventure has settled into a snooze.  Mature believers realize how far they have to go – and they’re eager to get there.  Like Paul they understand God isn’t finished with them yet, that there’s more to learn, more to experience, more to gain, and more to share.  And so far from kicking back and staying where they are, they focus on what is ahead.  They press on toward the goal, becoming all the Lord wants them to be.  Progress in the journey of faith is their most important product. 

That’s the kind of spiritual maturity we see in Paul.  And that’s the kind of spiritual maturity we long to see here in this congregation: men and women who have this focus, this intensity, this desire to know Christ and to become all he intends.  We’re not talking about our salvation here.  As we saw last week, we’re saved entirely apart from any effort we make.  We don’t do anything to earn God’s grace.  It’s a free gift.  We’re talking about what happens once we’ve entered into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.  Paul likens it to a footrace.  Pressing on.  Straining forward.  It takes effort.  It takes discipline.  It takes determination. 

A few years ago I came across an illustration of this, a parody of the much-loved poem “Footprints in the Sand,” written by Mary Stevenson back in the 1930s.  You remember how she dreams of her life with the Lord as a long walk along a beach, and as she looks back she notices that at some of the toughest times of her journey there was only one set of footprints.  When she asks the Lord why he left her alone at those points, the Lord says, “The times you have seen only one set of footprints…[were] when I carried you.”

Which is a wonderful truth, and I’m so grateful our Lord carries us in our times of pain and sorrow.  But Jesus doesn’t intend to carry us forever.  So here’s another version of the poem, which some of you will remember from the last time I shared it (and that was five years ago, believe it or not).  It’s called “Butt Prints in the Sand”:

One night I had a wondrous dream.

One set of footprints was seen,

The footprints of my precious Lord,

But mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared

And I asked the Lord, “What have we here?

Those prints are large and round and neat,

But, Lord they are too large for feet.”

“My child,” he said in sober tones,

“For miles I carried you alone.

I challenged you to walk in faith,

But you refused and made me wait.”

“You disobeyed, you would not grow,

The walk of faith you would not know.

So I got tired, I got fed up,

And there I dropped you on your butt.”

“Because in life there comes a time

When one must fight and one must climb,

When one must rise and take a stand

Or leave their butt prints in the sand.” 2

I may get some letters for that, but I think it makes a pretty good point.  There is a time to be carried.  And we have a Lord who can do that when we’re too weak and too weary to take another step.  But there is a time to start walking, to take some steps of obedience.  Where are you this morning?  Have you settled for a comfortable and complacent “churchianity” –  $3 worth of God but no more?  Or can you say with Paul, “I want to know Christ.  I want to experience his power, his sufferings, his abundant life.  I’m not there yet, but I’m pressing on to become more and more like him”?

Appointments for Growth

How do we do that?  How do we develop that kind of progressing, pressing on faith?  There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and I don’t want to lay out some performance religion formula – “Sanders Seven Steps to Spiritual Success.”  But I know from my own experience that there are some key areas I need to pay attention to, and I’d like to very quickly mention four of these.  I think of them as four “appointments” I need to keep if I want my life in Christ to grow.

The first is a daily appointment with the Lord.  Call it what you will – a quiet time, personal devotionals – I need a time each day to be with him, to open the Bible and listen to his Word.  I need a fresh glimpse of his power, his priorities, his goodness and grace.  I need to confess my sins and receive his forgiveness.  I need to go over my concerns for the day and pray through my schedule.  For me, that works best early in the morning.  I need that daily appointment with my Lord – to seek him, to listen to him, to be in touch with him.

Second, I need a weekly appointment to worship with people like you.  I need to be in church on Sundays.  I need to sing my Lord’s praises, receive his assurance of pardon, and hear his Word proclaimed.  I need to be fed at the Table, reconnected to my family of faith.  When I stay away from church for a while, I notice I start running dry.  I need this weekly appointment if I’m going to go deeper with my Lord.

And third, I need appointments with key people who help me grow – a mentor, a spiritual director, a counselor – someone to guide me, encourage me and challenge me.  For years now I’ve been meeting with someone like that on a monthly basis.  And I need a small group to share with, a few friends who know me and love me, who pray for me and hold me accountable.  So I meet with a small covenant group of pastors to share what’s going on in our lives.  I need to stay connected to these people if I want to keep pressing on.

Finally, I need an appointment to be with those who are hurting.  It’s not enough to have a daily quiet time, a weekly worship time, a monthly time with mentors and friends.  If I’m going to grow in my faith, I also need to be involved in some aspect of the hurts and hungers of this bleeding world.  So in verse 10 Paul talks about knowing Christ not only in “the power of his resurrection” but also through “participation in his sufferings.”   How do I do that?  I don’t have to get nailed to a cross, but I do have to get involved with where Christ is suffering right now.  I do have to let my heart get broken at least a little bit by the things that break his heart. 

I think that’s part of the reason I keep going to places like Senegal and Zambia.  Nothing has deepened my life in Christ as much as being with the men and women who live there, to share in their struggles, to feel a bit of their pain, and yet to see the incredible joy they have.  It doesn’t have to be in Africa.  It can be here in this congregation, or in your own web of relationships.  It can be among the lonely, the sick, the shut-in, the grieving, the mentally ill, the hungry and homeless right here in our own area.  Whether it’s sponsoring child in Senegal or Zambia, or advocating for kids caught in the sex trade in Asia, or working for affordable housing right here, or caring for an aging parent, or hanging in there with a friend going through a tough time – to know Christ is to share in his sufferings.  If I want to grow, I have to get involved in that kind of relationship, that kind of ministry.

* * * * *

My dear friends, the God who saved us in Jesus Christ isn’t finished with us yet.  Not finished with us as individuals, and not finished with us as a congregation.  There’s more – more to learn, more to experience, more to become.

There’s nothing boring about Jesus Christ.  If your faith seems boring, you might want to check your appointments.  Do you have an appointment to be with him in the days to come, and to worship with his people in the weeks to come?  What about an appointment with some people who can encourage you, challenge you, stand by you?  What about an appointment with the hurting – a personal ministry that puts you in touch with the needs of this hurting world?

If you want a growing faith, the place to begin is to say with Paul: “I want to know Jesus Christ.  I want to know his power and something of his pain.  I don’t have it all together.  I haven’t arrived yet.  But I’m letting go of whatever is behind me, and I reaching out for more.  I’m pressing on, starting now.”

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

1. Wilbur Rees, originally printed in HIS Magazine.
2. Author unknown: www.storybin.com/words/words104.shtml