You'll notice in verse 13 of
Philippians chapter three, Paul said, this one thing I do. I remember somebody once said,
you can only do well at one thing. Probably true. But, um, Paul
did a lot of things. Paul was an apostle. He was taught
the gospel directly by the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was a missionary. He traveled
all over the known world, preaching the gospel, founding churches. Paul worked miracles. He raised
somebody from the dead. Handkerchiefs were taken from
him that were used to heal other people. A snake bit him, a venomous
snake, and he didn't die. Paul was a miracle worker. Paul wrote scriptures. What an
unusual blessing. He's the man whom God used more
than anybody else to expound the gospel. He said with regard
to the other apostles, I labored more abundantly than they all.
And he did that without arrogance, without self-promotion. But the
many things that he did all flowed from this one thing, this one
thing I do. Look in verse 13 of Philippians
chapter three, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do. Forgetting those things which
are behind and reaching forth unto those
things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Now the apostle
Paul had a just estimate of himself. Look what he says in verse 12.
It's not as though I had already attained, either were already
perfect, but I follow after. if that I may apprehend that
for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I
count not myself to have apprehended." Now, when the apostle told us
to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God, what is the first thing he said in Romans chapter 12?
He said, I say to every man that's among you not to think of himself
more highly than he ought to think. Now understand this, any
thoughts we have too high of ourself, you know what goes along
with that? Thoughts too low of the Lord
Jesus Christ. That's why these high thoughts
are so bad. But Paul had a just estimate
of himself. He said, I've not attained. I'm
not perfect. I will be one day, but certainly
not now. I've not apprehended. Now, when
Paul says this, I know you'll agree with me. Paul was a giant
in grace, wasn't he? I mean, I don't know of a greater
man than the apostle Paul. He was a brilliant man, yet such
a humble man. He was a gracious man, a zealous
man, but he says concerning himself, I have not attained. As a matter of fact, this man
believed himself to be the very chief of sinners. That's what
he said in 1 Timothy 1.15, Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners of whom notice he didn't say I was chief. He said,
of whom I am the very chief of sinners. He believed himself
to be the most sinful man alive. And you don't want to make someone
believe that because they've seen the Lord Jesus Christ. They've seen the holiness of
God. They've seen the true character of God, and you can't come up
with anything about yourself but that if you ever see him.
Now, someone that can't understand this, it's because they haven't
seen the Lord. If you see the Lord, you'll see yourself in
the same way Paul did. He said, I've not attained. I've
not yet apprehended. Now, what led him to speak of
this one thing that he did? Look back up in verse one of
Philippians chapter three. He said, finally, my brethren.
Now, this is a passage of scripture. I love this passage of scripture.
And if somebody called on me to preach without having an opportunity
to prepare, just get up, cold turkey, and start preaching.
This is one of the passage of scriptures I go to. Now, I prepared this
message. Don't think this is cold turkey. I really did. I'm seeking
the Lord's blessing on it. But if somebody said, show me
a passage of scripture you'd just like to preach from cold
turkey, here it is. I'd like to get up and preach from this
passage of scripture. Finally, my brethren. Rejoice in the Lord. Now, that word rejoice is exalt,
joy. You see, in the Lord, there's
a complete salvation in there. All that God requires of me,
I have in Christ. How can I do anything but rejoice?
And right now, you think about this. All that God requires of
you, everything, you have. in the Lord Jesus Christ. God
can't love you anymore. He can't accept you anymore.
You're perfect in Christ Jesus. And that's something to rejoice
in, isn't it? Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. Now it says, to write the same
things to you, to me, indeed, is not grievous, but for you,
it is safe. Now, I believe that I'm preaching
the same thing I preached 20 years ago. believe I am. Now,
I hope I'm doing it with more warmth. I hope I'm doing it with
more understanding. I hope I'm doing it with more
compassion. I hope I'm doing it with more zeal. I hope 10
years from now, I'm going to be a whole lot better preacher
than I am right now. I hope so, if the Lord leaves
me that much time. But that being said, I'm preaching
the same things, and the same things are not grievous to me.
You know, when I talk about the righteousness of Christ being
our righteousness before God, it's not irksome to me. It's
more sweet to me now than it's ever been. When I talk about
the precious blood of Christ actually putting away sin, His
blood didn't simply make salvation available. He put away sin. My sin was put away. I'm writing
the same things, I'm preaching the same things, and it's not
grievous. It's not irksome. Now, you testify,
am I preaching the same thing? It's not grievous. It's not irksome. But for you, it is safe. You know, if something's new,
it's not true. That scares me. I was preparing
a message. I'm not going to say which one
it was. This shows how vain I am. But I was thinking, I wonder
if anybody else has ever preached this message. And the thought occurred to me.
Well, if they haven't, I'm preaching error. If it's new, it's not true. The only safe thing is preaching
what the word of God says. And he says in verse two, beware
of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. And
he's talking about false prophets. He's talking about people who
do not preach the gospel of God's grace. Now listen to this. The Word of God is the standard,
but somebody that doesn't preach the gospel that I preach, the
gospel of election by the Father, redemption by the Son, and regeneration
by the Holy Spirit is a false prophet. He does not preach the
gospel. And I want to be very careful.
I don't want to just throw that around. I want to be very careful.
But look what Paul called these people. He called them dogs. Dogs. He called them evil workers. They talk about good works, but
they're evil workers. Beware of the concision. They
talk about circumcision and all they are is mutilators. That's
what Paul said. That's the way he dealt with
these men who did not preach the gospel of Christ. He called
them dogs, evil workers, and mutilators. Was Paul being harsh?
I hope you know better than that. Paul was speaking under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit. And let me remind us, if we follow
a false prophet, we will have the reward of the false prophet.
Take heed what you hear. Now he says in verse three, four,
we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit. Now these fellows claim to be
the circumcision, but we're the true circumcision. We're the
ones who've truly had our hearts circumcised, that the Lord's
done something to us and for us. And here is how they're described. We worship God in the spirit,
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Now, here we go. We worship God. And the only way anybody worships
God is in the Holy Spirit. You and I in the flesh cannot
worship God. It's impossible. That's why I
don't say to unbelievers, come worship with us. I say, come
hear the gospel. I want you to come and hear the
gospel. But as far as telling an unbeliever, come worship with
us, well, you can't do that unless God the Holy Spirit causes you
to. I want to be very careful with the way I use that term.
We are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit by
the spirit of God. And here's what everybody does
who worships God in the spirit. They rejoice in Christ Jesus
and hear Notice it says, For we of the circumcision which
worship God in the flesh and rejoice in Christ Jesus. Here
the word rejoice is not the same word as it found in verse 1.
It's the word that Paul used, glory or boast. God forbid that
I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now
Paul wrote scripture, said I don't glory in that. Paul was used
mightily of God, he said I don't glory in that. Paul was used
to found churches, he said I don't glory in that. He said God forbid
that I should glory. saving the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ. That's my only ground of boasting.
That's my only way of coming into God's presence. God forbid. If someone worships God in the
spirit, here's how it comes out. They glory only in the Lord Jesus
Christ. And look what he says next. And
they have, he said, we have no confidence in the flesh. Anything
that's connected with human nature, my human nature, your human nature. I have absolutely no confidence
in. All I have confidence in is Christ
himself. Now, when somebody worships God
in the spirit, they will rejoice glory in the Lord Jesus Christ.
They won't look anywhere else. And they will have no confidence
in the flesh. I don't trust myself at all.
I really don't. My flesh, dwells no good thing. We have
no confidence in the flesh. Now let's go on reading verse
four. Though I might also have confidence
in the flesh, if you want to compare apples to apples, if
any other man thinketh that he have whereof he might trust in
the flesh, I more. He said, I was circumcised the
eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew
of the Hebrews. Touching the law, I was a Pharisee. Concerning zeal, I was so zealous,
I felt it my moral obligation to persecute the church that
I thought was wrong because they weren't serving God. Touching
the righteousness, which is in the law, I was blameless. Now,
Paul said, I can look at the Ten Commandments and look at
my life, and before them, at least outwardly, I was blameless. Anybody in here able to make
that claim? Can't even come close, can we?
I mean, as far as outward morality, Paul had the greatest outward
morality of any man to ever live. He said, touching the righteousness
which is in the law, I was blameless. Now, he obviously didn't understand
the law, and he'll go on to let us know that, but he didn't understand
the law, because if he understood the law, he wouldn't have said
that about himself. But because of his blindness, before the
Lord saved him, he said, touching the righteousness which is in
the law, I was blameless. Now, if you want to talk about
having a reason to have confidence in the flesh, you think you have
a reason for confidence? I've got more, Paul said. But,
verse 7, what things were gained to me? My righteousness, the
fact that I was a Pharisee, the fact that I was a Hebrew of the
Hebrews, Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel. Things
that I thought were in the plus column. Things that I thought
were to my benefit. Those I counted loss. Garbage is the word. Garbage for Christ. Those things
that I used to think were gain. Those things that I used to think
were for my benefit. Those I now count as nothing
more than garbage. Yea, verse eight, doubtless,
no doubt about this. I count all things but loss,
but garbage for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus,
my Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss of all things and do
count them but dung. That's why the stuff I've lost,
it's not like I'm thinking, oh, I've sacrificed so much for Christ.
No, it's all done. That's all it is. I've suffered
the loss of all things and do count them, but done that I may
win Christ and be found in him. Now in the next couple of verses,
Paul gives his sixfold desire. And this is the desire of every
believer. Here's his first desire. Oh,
that I may win Christ and be found in him. Now this is what
I desire. God knows whether I'm telling
the truth. This is what I desire more than anything else. When God comes looking for me,
I simply want to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't
want to be found as a preacher or as a witness. I don't want
to be found praying. That's the way everybody naturally
thinks. Oh, I'd like, wouldn't you love to, I'd love to die
in the pulpit. I would. I'd love to die preaching the gospel.
That'd be a great way to die. Just preaching the gospel, all of a sudden you're
dead, go to heaven, be all over with. I'd like that. I'd like to die on my knees in
prayer too. You sure wouldn't want to die
while I was doing something that I shouldn't do. I mean, who does?
I mean, nobody wants to. Everybody's afraid of that. What
if all of a sudden the Lord came back while I was doing some kind
of terrible thing? Now, don't do the terrible thing, but here's
the point. Here's the point. One place I
want to be found that's in the Lord Jesus Christ so that all
God sees is Jesus Christ. He doesn't see anything else.
That is my one desire. that I may win Christ and be
found in Him. Notice he says, not having my
own righteousness. I don't want to have anything
to do with any personal righteousness of mine because I know what it
is. It's filthy rags and that's all it is. There's only one righteousness.
That's the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The law keeping, the
obedience of Jesus Christ. And that's the only righteousness
I dare plead before God. Oh, that I may win Christ and
be found in him. Not having my own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. That's my first desire. And here's
my second desire. I want to know Him. I want to know the Lord Jesus
Christ so that I really know Him. I'm not talking about knowing
about Him. I'm talking about knowing Him to where He's my
husband. He's my Lord. He's my Savior. He's my best friend. He's my
all in all. I want to know Him. I want to
know Him. I want to use His name so it's
not name dropping. I know Him and He knows me. I think of the
sons of Sceva when they started trying to cast out the demons
in the name of Jesus. And they said, I command you
in the name of Jesus to come out of him. And the devils fled
on him and whipped him and beat him. And they said, Jesus, I
know. And Paul, I know. But who are you? Who are you
to take my name into your mouth? I don't want to be somebody like
that. I want to be somebody he knows, where I know him. and
he knows me. And then secondly, he says in
verse 10, I want to know him. And thirdly, I want to know the
power of his resurrection. Now the scripture says he was
delivered for our offenses and raised again at his resurrection
for our justification. Now, can you imagine what a blessing
it would be to live in the conscious understanding that I'm justified
before God? What influence would that have on
my life that I live in the power of His resurrection? Now, the
reason I say that is there's not a day that goes by that at
some point I don't ask myself the question, are you really
saved? How could you be? How could you
be and think those things? How could you be and do those
things? That's called unbelief. It's
called looking to self is what it is. Oh, what a blessing it
would be to simply live in the power of his resurrection when
he was raised from the dead. I was justified. And that justification
is irreversible. It can't be changed. I'm a justified
person. I walk in freedom. Oh, to know
the power of His resurrection. I want to live in a way that
I believe. I believe that I walk as a believer
in the power of His resurrection. The next thing He says in verse
10 is that I might know the fellowship of His sufferings. I want to
be found in Him. I want to know Him. I want to
know the power of His resurrection. And fourthly, I want to know
the fellowship of His sufferings. You know what that means? That
means I want to know that what He did, He did for me. Now, Jesus
Christ died for the elect. It's so important for us to understand
this. He didn't die for everybody. He died for God's elect. He said, I lay down my life for
the sheep. And the reason I make a point about that. Well, the
Bible ain't the point of it. But the reason I hold on to this
so strong is because this is my only hope. You see, if he
died for everybody and some of those people that he died of
wind up in hell, you've taken away the only hope I've got because
the only hope I have is that Christ died for me. Now, I want
to know that he died for me. It's called assurance. I want
to know that I had a part in what he did. And then he said, not only do
I want to know the fellowship of his sufferings, he said in
verse 10, the last phrase, I want to be made conformable unto his
death. Now, what in the world does that
mean? To be made conformable unto his death? Well, Paul said
earlier in chapter two of this same book, he became obedient
unto death. Yet learned he obedience by the
things he suffered. In Hebrews, he became obedient
unto death. Now here's what I want. Here's what I want. I want to
be just like him, and I tremble when I say this, but I really
do want this. It scares me to death because I see that I never
live up to it. I want to be willing to choose death over disobedience
to my Lord and Savior. Now that's what he means. I want
to be made conformable to Him in His death. And then last,
he says, if by any means, if by any means I might attain to
the resurrection of the dead. That's what I want. I want to
be raised incorruptible. Can you imagine that resurrection
morning when you're raised up with a body without sin, perfectly
conformed to the image of Christ? I want to attain to the resurrection
of the dead. Now that's what I want. I want
to win Christ. This is my desire. I want to
win Christ, be found in him. I want to know him. I want to
know the power of His resurrection. I want to know the fellowship
of His sufferings. I want to know what He did. He did for
me. I want to be made conformable to His death, if by any means
I might attain to that glorious resurrection of the dead. But
it's not like I have. Now, Paul talked about these
desires. You know, I think of what Paul
said in Romans 7. He said, to will is present with
me. But how to perform that which is good, I find not. He said,
I have not. It's not as though I had already
attained. I fear my knowing him is not
even a thimble out of the ocean. I fear that I know very little
of the power of his resurrection. I haven't attained. This is what
I want. I haven't attained to it. I should
never struggle with assurance, but without are fighting within
are fears. My obedience seems more like
disobedience when I compare myself to him. I've certainly not attained. I'm not perfect. I am a work
in progress. Now I know he who has begun this
good work will complete it into the day of Jesus Christ, but
I have not attained. Look what he says in verse 12.
It's not as though I had already attained either were already
perfect, But I follow after, I pursue, if that I may apprehend
that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Now here's two
thoughts. Paul said, I've been apprehended
by Christ. You know what that means? It means arrested. Arrested. I love that song. Hail sovereign love. that first
began the scheme to rescue fallen man. Hail matchless, free, eternal
grace that gave my soul a hiding place. Against the God who ruled
the sky, I fought with hands uplifted high, despised the mention
of His grace, too proud to seek a hiding place. Enwrapped in
thick Egyptian night and fond of darkness more than like madly
I ran the sinful race secure without a hiding place But thus
the eternal counsel ran Almighty love arrest that man I Felt the
arrows of distress and found I had no hiding place. He arrested
me. He stopped me I was headed in
a way that I couldn't turn around. I was going to destruction just
like you were. He arrested me. Aren't you thankful
for apprehending arresting grace? God stopped you on the road to
hell and did something for you. He arrested you. He stopped you. And that's, that's called sovereign
saving grace. He said, I've been apprehended
of Christ Jesus. And you know what? I want to
apprehend him. I want to lay hold upon him.
lay hold upon eternal life. I want to lay hold upon. I want
to apprehend that for which I have been apprehended. He apprehended me. He laid hold
of me and I want to lay hold of him. Verse 13, brethren, I
count not myself to have apprehended. I haven't attained. I haven't
apprehended these great desires that God has given to me that
I really have. I don't count myself to have apprehended, but
this one thing I do. When the Lord met the rich young
ruler, I believe, now I don't know, you can't prove this from
the scriptures, but I believe the rich young ruler was the
apostle Paul. I know he was somebody like Paul
because the Lord looked on him and loved him, the scripture
says. He looked on him and he loved him. And I know that the
rich young ruler had a lot of similarities with the apostle
Paul. Remember how the rich young ruler said, What good things
shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said, you know the commandments,
keep them. He named the second table of the law. And the fellow
said, all of these have I observed from my youth up. Paul and the
rich young ruler are the only ones I know of that made that
statement. And Paul and the rich young ruler were both eaten up
with covetousness. Remember the rich young ruler
could not leave his riches. He had great possessions. And
Paul, we just read in Romans chapter seven, where I had not
known sin, but the Lord said, thou shalt not covet. You see
a lot of interesting similarities between the two. And I don't
know that was the apostle Paul, but I know somebody like him,
but our Lord looked at that rich young ruler and the scripture
says he loved him. He loved him. And he said one
thing, And in lacking that one thing, you lack everything. Next thing I thought about was
Martha. You remember that our Lord was
in her home. She was seeking to entertain.
She was running back and forth doing all kinds of things. And
Mary sat there like a nonologue. And she started getting mad at
her. Scripture says, Mary sat at his feet and heard his word. And Martha said, Lord, cares
thou not that she's not helping me? And the Lord said, Martha, Martha,
you're careful. You're troubled about many things. But one thing is needful. There's only one thing that's
needful. That one thing that's needful
is sitting at his feet and hearing his word. That's the one thing
that's needful. That's the one thing in this
life that's needful. That's the one thing that we'll
spend eternity doing, sitting at his feet and hearing his word. One thing is needful and Mary
has chosen that good part and it shall not be taken from her.
And then I think of David in Psalm 27. He said, one thing
have I desired of the Lord. Same thing Paul desired, that
I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Now he didn't mean he wanted to go into a tent, the temple
and just hang out there all day and never go outside. The Lord
Jesus Christ is the house of the Lord. I want to dwell in
the house of the Lord all the days of my life. I want to be
found in Him to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in
His temple. Paul said, this one thing I do,
and this is the key behind everything else that he did. Now, what's
he say? This one thing I do, and the
first thing he mentions is forgetting. Forgetting. Forgetting those
things that are behind. Did you all read that article
about Brother Mahan on that today? If you didn't read it, I think
it was in today's bulletin. Let me read it to you. If you
got a bulletin, it's on the inside page. He said, what is it that's
best forgotten? Forgetting, number one, my days
of rebellion and unbelief is best for me and everyone else.
People sometimes want to erect monuments to the meanest. If
we must recall the past, let it be done with shame, not levity.
I hate it when people talk about, oh, I used to be so wicked. No,
they're actually glorying in it. Just forget that. Don't even
bring it up again. Doesn't need to be spoken of.
Forgetting my profession in false religion and my attempts to produce
a righteousness before God. Some people are always talking
about their false religion. Forget it. Forget it. Forget
about the days, the years wasted in that. Forget it. It's not
worth even remembering. Forget it. Forgetting even those
good works and deeds done in the name of Christ. When Paul
recalled his efforts in the ministry, he said, I'm a fool in glory.
Anything good you've done, forget it. You see, if you're remembering
it, that means you think there's something good about it. That's
what you think. And you're forgetting that it was only the grace of
God that enabled you to do it. Just forget it. I don't mean
an ungratefulness. I don't mean an ungratefulness, but glorying
in it. He said, forgetting all misunderstandings and careless
divisions with my brothers and sisters. If God remembers my
sins no more, I would be an ingrate to remember yours. Oh, the con,
forget it. It didn't even happen. Forgetting
the past and reaching forth into those things which are before.
Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom and we shall
be satisfied when we awake with his likeness. Isn't that good?
Forget, forget, forget. This one thing I do, forgetting
what's behind. Here's what I said in my notes. I just read Brother
Mahan's article. My former sins, Lord's forgotten them. Lord's forgotten them. Forget
them. My former religion. Misunderstandings
and conflict with my brethren. The things which the Lord has
enabled me to do. Forget it. Forget it. And stretching forth
unto those things that are before, like a runner stretching for
the finish line. Forgetting those things which
are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
I press. I press. I press toward the mark for the
prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I press
on. I don't quit. I don't quit. May God give us
the grace to not be quitters. I press all the way to the end. I don't quit. I don't look to
yesterday. I don't look to tomorrow, right
now. I press toward the mark, the
bullseye, a mark which we fix our eyes on, looking unto Jesus,
the author and the finisher of our faith. I press toward the
mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Now, every one of us In some measure, we think that our life
is pretty vain. And it is. It is. I remember
one time a guy said to me, I think my life's bad. I said, it's a
whole lot worse than you think. We're all afflicted with how
vain we are and how vain life is and how vain everything about
us is. But it's also true While that's true, it's also true if
I'm a believer, I've been called by God and it's a high calling. It's a heavenly calling. It's
a holy call, a call to be just like the Lord Jesus Christ, to
be perfectly conformed to his image. What a calling is that?
I've got a calling that I'm going to spend eternity singing His
praise, beholding His face. What a high calling that is.
Now, every believer, now listen to me, every believer is special. Special to God. Now, if you're
special to God, you know what that means? That means you're
special. Every believer has infinite significance. God has called
you. God has called you. What a high calling. What a holy
calling. What a heavenly calling. You
see, not everybody's called. You've been singled out. You've been
blessed in just an unusual way to be called of God. Turn with
me to 1 Corinthians 1. Paul says in verse 22 of 1 Corinthians
chapter 1, For the Jews require a sign, and Greeks seek after
wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, the person and work of Christ.
Now unto the Jews this is a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks this
is foolishness, but unto them which are called. both Jews and
Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Now, if God's called you, I know
this, you'll believe Christ is the very power of God into salvation,
and you'll believe he's the very wisdom of God. Verse 25, because the foolishness
of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger
than men, for you see your calling, brethren. How that not many wise
men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. Now I remember reading somewhere
where there was a lady that was a countess or something like
that. And she said, I'm mighty thankful for the word M, the
letter M. Didn't say not any, not many. Not many, but verse 27, God has chosen
the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And God
has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things
which are mighty and the base things of the world and the things
which are despised at God chosen. Yay. And the things which are
not, which are nothing. to bring to nothing the things
that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of
him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom
and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, that according
as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Now this one thing I do, may
this be true of me and you, forgetting what's behind. Reaching forth
into those things that are before, we press toward the mark of the
prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. What a call. Let's pray.