Dear Christian friends,

Intro: Today it seems to be cool and in to wear tee shirts and pull-overs with some sort of message on them. I think I would be reluctant to wear some of the messages that I have seen on some of the young people, such as "I'm available." However at a church youth meeting some time ago a youngster was wearing a message which I thought was very good. It said: "Under Construction" in large bold letters, and then in smaller letters: "Be patient. God is not finished with me yet."

I think that is also the message that St. Paul in our text is sending to us this morning. We are all "under construction." God is not finished with anyone of us yet. We must not become complacent or impatient either as regards ourselves or our fellow Christians.

St. Paul says, "Not as though I had already attained either, were already perfect: but I follow after ... I press on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." So this morning I want to encourage you to

I. What is the goal?

In the verse preceding our text St. Paul clearly states the goal towards which we are to press. He writes, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection of the dead." (vv. 10-11)

A. The main goal toward which we press, therefore, is to know Christ.

1. It was important for St. Paul to emphasize this because, due to our flesh, our innate, natural condition, we are always inclined to miss-know Jesus Christ, just as some of the Philippians misunderstood him and his work, and just as St. Paul himself had misunderstood before his conversion.

It seems that after Paul had established the congregation at Philippi Judaizing teachers had come in while he was gone and were insisting that these Gentile Christians observe the law of Moses, especially circumcision, in order to be right with God.

2. We are always inclined to justify ourselves by this law or that or by this good deed or that rather than to rely upon Christ's redemptive work.

However, Paul counted his own self-righteousness as "dung" and the Bible heartily concurs, saying, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous are as filthy rags."

3. In order to really know Jesus Christ we need to confess our sinfulness by nature, and that we daily sin much, and then trust only in God's grace and mercy in Christ Jesus, who in our stead kept all the law perfectly for us, and also paid the penalty of all mankind's sin, as Paul says, "Not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."

This is the basic thing to know and believe about Jesus Christ, but it is not all. There is more to know. Paul continues, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." (v. 10)

B. "The power of his resurrection" means to obey the will of God by Christ's enabling power.

1. St. Paul needs to emphasize this also because we, like the Philippians, might think: "Well, since I am justified by the grace through faith in Jesus Christ, I need not be concerned about obeying the moral law of God. There were some at Rome as well as those at Philippi who were teaching libertinism, sin all you want that grace may abound. We may think that its not important to live a holy life obeying God's Commandments. After all we can always go to Communion and be forgiven. Those who take this position do not really know Christ and have not experienced the power of his resurrection. To all such sleeping, dead Christians Paul crys out: "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light!" (Eph. 5:20)

With the power of Christ's love in us we press on toward the goal of obeying the moral law of our God and Savior.

2. Here Paul actually speaks of experiencing Christ's resurrection power to the extent of suffering with him and for him, even to dying for his sake if necessary. (v. 10c)

C. To know Christ means also to know the exalted Christ and to eagerly await his glorious return from heaven and the resurrection of the dead.

1. Paul writes, "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead ... Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (vv. 11, 19-20)

2. Paul needed to emphasize this part of knowing Christ because some at Philippi were loving this present world too much, looking for a heaven on earth. Their goals were earthly.

3. Is not this our problem also? Are not our dreams, plans and goals mostly earth-bound? How many of us strive to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where rust and moths do not corrupt, and where thieves do not break in and steal? The poet says it well:

"The angels from their throne on high
Look down on us with wondering eye;
For where we are but passing guests
We build such strong and solid nests:
But where we hope to live for aye [ever]
We scarce take heed on one stone to lay."

Do we ever need to be reminded that our conversation is in heaven! Our real citizenship is in heaven! Our goal is to really know Christ, the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

II. Paul also tells us how we should press on toward that goal.

A. First of all we need to admit that we haven't yet attained to this goal. We must not be complacent nor impatient either with ourselves or others.

1. Paul admitted that he had not yet attained the goal. He says "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." (v. 12) Paul knew that he was "Under Construction," that "God was not finished with him yet." He humbly admits that he needs to know Christ better and the power of his resurrection. He could be better at trusting in Christ rather than in the flesh and the law.

2. We need the same humility. (v. 15)

B. Of course, the resources for us as well as for Paul are the Word and the Sacraments.

By regularly, faithfully attending to God's word we will become more appreciative of our innate sinfulness and of God's precious mercy and grace in continually enduring us and forgiving us in Christ. We will know when we are openly disobedient as well as when we are being hypocritical and living a lie. His word can lead us to repent each day and to receive his abundant pardon. In this way we are pressing onward towards the goal.

C. Another thing that we need to do as we press on toward the goal is to forget the past.

1. Paul was able to do this. (v. 13) And believe me Paul had a very bad past to forget as he himself stated many times, "I persecuted the church of God." Paul didn't lose all memory of his past sins for he mentions them in almost every letter, but he didn't let them hold him back. He left them behind in the sense that they were done with and settled. God had forgiven him these sins and he didn't let them destroy his self-image. He used them to magnify God's grace. He could write to young Timothy unembarrassed "This is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

2. So we must not let our past sins hold us down or bother our present and future striving to be what God has ordained for us! They are forgiven. God has forgotten them. We should too! If we remember them or tell of them, do it only to magnify the Lord's grace, and ourselves as examples of grace.

D. For also we press on by being role models of grace following good examples of grace.

1. Paul writes, "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk them which walk so as ye have us for an example" (v. 17) Paul was aware of the fact that God had made him a leader and a model for the members of his various congregations. He so lived by grace and mercy that he could say without boasting walk as I do.

2. We who are middle aged and old need to be such role models of grace to children and youth, not so much by what we say, but rather by how we regard the means of grace, the Word and Sacraments.

3. Make no mistake about this we are examples, either good ones or bad. We are either for Christ or against Him.

4. Paul warns about the bad examples, saying, "Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping. That they are the enemies of the cross (enemies of grace) of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." Here Paul is warning about the libertines, the opposite of the legalists. Both are enemies of grace, the cross. Today in our churches we also have the libertines and the legalist. Don't be one or the other. Be a model of God's grace.

Conclusion: Let us daily take up the race and press on toward the goal, the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. We can say with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Amen