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Eyes on the Prize Philippians 3:14a — Week 5 in our series on Philippians 3:12–14
This Week's Memory Phrase: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize.” (Philippians 3:14a, NIV)
Where We've Been
- It's okay not to be perfect, but it's not okay to have no goal, or a goal that's garbage.
- When we fall short, we press on, because Christ has already taken hold of us.
- We're brothers and sisters, running next to each other, not against each other.
- Not yet doesn't mean never.
- Paul's one thing: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.
I. Two Goals
- Verse 12, “arrived at my goal” (teleioō): to be made complete, perfected. It's about arriving.
- Verse 14, “goal” (skopos): the mark you fix your eyes on. It's about aiming.
- You can be unfinished and still be clear about your direction.
II. The Hunter's Scope
- “Press on” (diōkō) is a hunter's word: to pursue, to chase down (Acts 26:11).
- Skopos gives us our English word “scope.”
- You see less, but you see clearly.
- A scope makes a distant target look close; that's what hope does.
- Pursuit without a target is wandering. A target without pursuit is just a picture on the wall.
III. What's Filling Your Scope?
- “Let your eyes look straight ahead.” (Proverbs 4:25–27)
- Martha was “distracted by all the preparations.” Only one thing is needed. (Luke 10:40–42)
- Worries, wealth, and desires for other things choke the word. (Mark 4:19)
- Some set their minds on earthly things, “but our citizenship is in heaven.” (Philippians 3:19–20)
- “Set your hearts on things above… Set your minds on things above.” (Colossians 3:1–2)
- “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4)
IV. When the Goal Comes Into View
- The sight of the goal and the cheering of those who finished give strength to finish strong.
- “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… fixing our eyes on Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:1–2)
- Keep paddling. The bend is coming.
V. The Prize
- “Prize” (brabeion) is related to the Greek word for the umpire who awarded the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24; Colossians 3:15)
- It's not a participation trophy. Real faith gets up and runs.
- It's not a merit badge. It's a gift through faith in Christ. (Philippians 3:9)
- It's not the world's prize. The crowd's applause is “paid in full.” (Matthew 6:2)
- God doesn't miss a thing, not even a cup of cold water. (Matthew 10:42)
VI. Whose Opinion Counts?
- There are many voices in the stands, but only one Judge makes the call.
Conclusion: The Perfect Game
- Jesus has covered what we could never cover.
- God, the only Judge whose opinion counts, has made his call: in Christ, you are righteous.
- The One who took hold of you will not let go until he has made you perfect.
Philippians 3:12–14a (NIV) 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.
