Joy: In God’s Promise
Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
Philippians 3:4b-14
Rev. Tim Callow
Preached Sun. October 4th, 2020
Jesus tells a parable about a man who finds a treasure hidden in a field. Full of joy, the man who finds the treasure sells everything he has to purchase the field. Having sold everything, he gains so much more. Jesus says the Kingdom of God is like the treasure in the field. If we give up everything to purchase that field, we will have received so much more. Paul speaks as a man who sold everything he has that he might purchase that treasure hidden in the field.
If anyone has reason to be confident in the flesh, Paul says, he has more. If anyone has any advantages, or if anyone has any possessions, or if anyone has any accomplishments that they can rest their laurels on, Paul is confident he has more. Paul was circumcised on the eighth day, according to the Law of Moses. That made Paul a member of the covenant community of Israel. He could even name the tribe to which he belonged: the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Hebrew, born of Hebrews.
When it came to how he read and understood the Law, he was a Pharisee. Now Pharisees may not have the best reputation today, but in Paul’s day they had a terrific reputation. Pharisees were masters of the minute details of the Law. They were highly learned men. They were also thought to be very holy men, putting their knowledge into practice. Paul, we are told, studied at the feet of Gamaliel, which would be rather like saying he went to Harvard. He studied under one of the most renowned Pharisees of his day.
On top of his high birth, and his great education, Paul was also zealous for the Law. His zeal was so great he persecuted the Church. Yet, under the Law he was regarded as blameless. Paul obeyed all 613 commands of the Law. He knew that he had no fault.
We should be amazed at Paul’s status and righteousness. He was well born, well educated, had the right attitude, and was wholly righteous under the Law. What immense possessions he had in hand! But Paul isn’t saying all this in order to boast. In fact, quite the opposite. He doesn’t see any reason to boast in his birth, his education, or his status. He imagines that there is a ledger, and if those are his assets they are only loss in comparison to the profit that comes from Christ. In fact, he goes on to say that he considers these things “rubbish.” Or, a better way to render that greek word, he considers them “sewer trash.” They are worthless, even disgusting in his eyes. Why? “Because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
So often it is easy to focus on the things we don’t have. In times of illness we may focus on not having good health. When we are in financial straights we may focus on not being wealthy. When our calendar is booked, we may focus on not having free time. When we are alone, we may focus on those with friends. Or when we feel insignificant we may focus on those who are famous. But Paul is saying he had it all. At least he had all that seemed to have mattered to a Jew of his day. But he sold it. He gave it away. He considers it as nothing. Because knowing Jesus and his promise is worth so much more than anything this world can provide. What Jesus offers us is worth so much more than anything we can now possess.
Paul gives up what he has, that he would receive what Christ offers. “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” Paul aspires to the life Jesus shares. There may be suffering now, but Christ has already overcome suffering. He has won the victory, and the joy of that victory is stronger than our suffering.
Paul is full of joy because he can keep his eye on the prize. “I press on toward the goal,” Paul says, “for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul may have possessed status that others can’t possess. He may have known wisdom that is not for others to know. He may have been part of a covenant that not everyone is born into. But the life that Christ offers is freely offered to all. The resurrection life of Christ that is stronger than death. And what can be more precious? More hopeful? More glorious?
Weigh the two together. What do we possess that is as precious or as valuable as eternal life? Weigh the scales and see. Paul’s joy comes from knowing that what he has now is worth paying down for what is to come. His joy is the joy of the man who saw a treasure hidden in a field. And when he saw that treasure he ran to purchase the field that the treasure might be his.
That treasure may be yours as well. It is a free gift offered. For those who surrender all to Christ it is a promise made. And when we put our eyes on the prize, when we keep our mind on our hope, there is joy that surpasses every pain. The joy surpasses every pain because we know even the pleasures of this world are dross. Nothing can hold a candle to what God provides.