Title Philippians 03:14 Toward the goal
content towards the goal
(Philippians 3:14)
Life is like a sport. There is a beginning and there is a goal. It hits and sometimes misses. Some people are first and some are last. The Bible compares a believer's life of faith to a man who races. This race is likened to running. On the playground of the world, we play with a life of faith Of course, the final goal is life in heaven.
Some started well, while others failed halfway through. There are people who win because both the beginning and the end are good. It's rare, but there are people who don't start well but run well and win. In any case, you always have to go to the end to know the results of a run. The same is true of the life of faith.
The Bible compares the Christian life to a sports game in several places. You can find many such expressions, especially in bars. (2 Timothy 2:5) "If a player does not compete according to the law, he will not receive a crown." This means that there are certain rules in faith. Also, (2 Timothy 4:7) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” This means that we must do our best to the end. (Acts 20:24) also says this. “I do not regard my life as of any value in any way, in order to finish my course and the mission I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.”
Now, if faith is like an athletics game, how do you play it?
you need to set goals
There is a finish line in racing. To win the race, you need to have a clear goal. Some people run for the rest of their lives, but there are people who come and go because they have multiple goals. A victorious life cannot be expected from such a person.
Everyone, why are you working so hard right now, running around and busy? Is it to feed the family? Of course it is. But that's what wild animals do too. Are you risking your life with something that all animals do? Are you trying to make a lot of money? Is it to gain a lot of knowledge? So, do you think you will be satisfied if you get it? It never is.
What is the unchanging purpose of life given to us humans? It is to glorify God. (Psalm 22:23) This well describes the purpose of life. “Praise him, ye who fear the LORD; glorify him, all you descendants of Jacob; fear him, all you descendants of Israel.” God has given us work to do. You should set that one goal as soon as possible. In a busy and fast-changing world like a fortress, you will fall behind and ruin your life. If you have not yet set a clear goal for your life, I hope that you set that goal firmly on God this morning.
God warns those who have not yet set a goal in life, a true goal. (Psalm 4:2). Do not ignore this warning, "O lifes, how long will my glory be turned to shame, a lover of vanity and seeking deceit?" Do not overheard this warning. Set clear goals for what you came to this earth for. There is no person in the world as pitiful as the person who lives without a goal.
you have to run towards your goal
It's not just about setting goals to win. Once you have set the right goal, you have to run towards it. I once ran across the line during a relay race. Our team won first place, but there was a time when the referee declared null and disqualified.
Listen to what the Bible teaches. (1 Corinthians 9:24-26). “Do you not know that all runners in the field run, but only one wins the prize? Run in the same way that you may win. Everyone who competes for the victory is temperate in all things. They want to win a corruptible crown, but we I want to gain incorruption. Therefore I do not run as if I was aimless, nor as if I would fight as if I was striking the air." Hallelujah!
Athletics have rules. You have to follow that rule. It means to run towards your goal. If the person holding the plow looks back, he cannot go straight to the field. If the player looks back or goes the other way, he cannot win. It's not just about going fast, it's about going right. The phrase "not as if you are not going well" is important.
Players should not pay too much attention to the spectators. You don't have to like it when you praise it, and there's no need to get frustrated when you argue. Most people care too much about how others see them. Consider the case of Jesus. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowd sang “Hosanna” and greeted him with great enthusiasm. But the rejoicing crowd turned overnight and turned into savage persecutors shouting, "Crucify him." We must run without rest today, thinking of God waiting at the finish line rather than the spectators.
have to run to the goal
Paul is a victor in the race of life. He confidently said, "I have run my course, and now I am looking forward to the crown of healing prepared for me." You must not give up halfway through the match. Running to the end is important. Judas Iscariot was the one who stopped in the middle, and the other disciples, such as Peter and John, ran to the end. Who is the winner?
Our goal is Jesus Christ. He is the Lord who conquered the power of death, broke through the grave and rose to life, and is still with us today. (Hebrews 12:1-2) "Let us put away every burden and the sins that easily entangle us, and with patience run the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." You have to go all the way to the end.
Running while carrying a heavy load is someone who doesn't know what running is. Racers cannot run in long, heavy clothing. We must leave the worries and anxieties of the world to God and run toward the Lord alone. In today's Bible, the expression "I follow" is not something that someone has ordered or forced to follow. He leans his whole body forward and runs with the feeling that the tape of the finish line will reach him at any moment. As the final tape is about to touch our hearts, what can hold us back?
63 Building in Yeouido is a really tall building. However, this building was also built as a result of the scaffolding workers erecting steel structures one by one and assembling large poles with screws. Scaffolding workers in charge of this work climb tall buildings tens or hundreds of meters to tighten screws and weld.
I asked the scaffolder if he was afraid of the person who visited the site. But the scaffolder answered. "We are human too. Why aren't we afraid? We just have a secret. The secret is not to look down." That's right. Christians are people who are building the building of the believer, step by step, toward heaven every day. What would happen if we looked back on the things of the earth and the things of the world?
Dear saints, Don't forget today's message.
"I am pressing toward the goal for the reward of the above calling of God in Christ Jesus." Hallelujah!