Living Now for What's Coming Then (Philippians 3:10-21)

Scripture Reading

This is the Word of the Lord:

¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶ Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

¹⁷ Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸ For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. ²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

This ends the reading of God's Word.

Prayer

Father, we thank you for your Word. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, and through the gracious work of your Holy Spirit, please guide us in all truth. Help us to honor you in our thoughts, words, and deeds, all for your glory. Amen.

Is This All There Is?

It was hot this week: hot enough during Summer Blast that I actually found myself (almost) longing for winter! And that got me thinking about a sledding hill from my childhood we called “Hospital Hill.” It was fast and fun, but dangerous if you weren’t careful. At the bottom was a rocky creek bed, and if you didn’t correct your course in time, that’s where you’d end up (and then, maybe, the emergency room). Hospital Hill taught me early that the thrill of the ride isn’t enough; you need to pay attention to where the ride is headed.

Watching our kids at Summer Blast and our students serving through M2M, I was grateful, not just for the fun they had, but for how we’re helping shape the direction of their lives. Because weeks like this are not just about giving kids a great experience. It’s about guiding them toward the greatest destination: an everlasting relationship with the God who created them. And that’s exactly what Philippians 3 is about.

Last week, Paul told us what he let go of—his heritage, pedigree, prestige, and power. He called it rubbish for the sake of knowing Christ. This week, he tells us what he’s pressing toward, and why it’s worth everything.

Where Is Your Life Headed?

Most of us live as if now is all there is. We chase comfort, avoid pain, protect our image, and keep faith on the sidelines. We want the thrill of the moment, but forget to ask where the ride ends.

Paul gives us a different vision. One that lifts our eyes beyond the immediate, and helps us live now for what’s coming then.

Paul Shows Us the Better Way

How does Paul do this? How does he show us the better way of a life of following God? He points us to five truths.

Knowing Jesus Means Sharing Both His Power and His Pain (vv. 10–11)

The phrase “that I may know Him” isn’t casual or academic. Paul uses the Greek word ginosko, a term that speaks of deep, experiential knowledge. It’s the same word used in Genesis 4:1 to describe the intimate knowing between a husband and wife. This is not about gathering information; it’s about entering into shared life, shared joy, shared suffering.

To know Jesus means more than believing facts about Him or admiring His teachings. It means walking with Him through both power and pain. Paul had seen the power: miracles, deliverances, healing. But he had also tasted the pain: beatings, betrayals, and prison cells. For Paul, both were part of the same path. To know Christ more deeply was to walk where He walked, into suffering, into death, and ultimately into resurrection.

This is the shape of the Christian life (Rom. 6:5; 2 Cor. 4:10–11). We often long for the power of resurrection without the process that leads there. We want strength without surrender, glory without cost. But to know Christ means following Him, even into Gethsemane.

Gethsemane was a moment of agonizing surrender. Jesus, in the garden, fell to His knees and prayed, “Father, if there is any other way…” And then, “Yet not my will, but Yours be done.” There was no escape. No comforting voice from heaven. No path of ease. Only the road ahead.

To follow Christ is to walk into Gethsemane when obedience to God means letting go of our way, our comfort, our control. It’s saying “yes” to God even when it hurts. Even when the outcome remains uncertain. Even when it costs us something deeply personal.

We get glimpses of this kind of knowing in our human relationships. To “know” someone deeply—whether a spouse, a family member, or a lifelong friend—isn’t just about shared hobbies or mutual interests. It’s about staying when it would be easier to leave. Listening through misunderstandings. Forgiving again when you're tired of forgiving. It’s sitting in the hospital room when there’s nothing you can fix. It’s showing up again and again, not because it’s convenient, but because love compels you.

In the same way, to know Christ is to walk with Him in the dark, not just in the light. To trust Him when prayers seem unanswered. To keep loving Him when obedience costs more than we expected.

So ask yourself: When suffering comes, do you resist it—or could it be an invitation to deeper fellowship with Christ? What if the very things you’re praying God would take away… are the places He’s meeting you most intimately?

Following Jesus Means Pressing On (vv. 12–14)

Paul is refreshingly honest here: he says, “I haven’t arrived.” He’s not pretending to have it all together. He’s not coasting on spiritual maturity or past accomplishments. Instead, he says, “I press on.” The Greek word he uses—diōkō—is the same word used for a runner chasing down a goal with everything he’s got. Picture someone leaning forward, arms pumping, lungs burning, eyes locked on the finish. That’s the kind of pursuit Paul is talking about.

But it’s important we don’t misread this as self-help or performance-driven religion. Paul isn’t striving to earn God’s love. He makes it clear—he presses on because Christ has already taken hold of him. That word—katalambanō—means to grasp, to seize, to make one’s own. Paul is saying, “I run after Jesus because He first ran after me. I’m chasing Him because He’s already claimed me.” This isn’t the grind of trying to earn grace. It’s the response of someone who’s been gripped by it.

That’s how the Christian life works. Sanctification—spiritual growth—is both gift and responsibility. God is the one who causes the growth, but that doesn’t mean we sit back passively. We cooperate with the Spirit. We respond. Think about how children grow. Their bodies grow naturally, but good parents don’t just hope it turns out okay. They nurture that growth. They train, encourage, guide, and correct along the way. It’s the same with our life in Christ. Growth is both something we receive and something we pursue.

Then Paul gives us this vivid image: forgetting what’s behind and straining toward what’s ahead. It’s a picture of a runner who doesn’t look back, but instead leans forward into what’s still to come. It’s focused. Intentional. Every part of the body engaged. There’s no casual jogging here. This is about running the race with purpose.

I remember when I played T-ball as a kid, and one time I hit the ball and ran straight to third base instead of first. It got a laugh, but I completely missed the point. I ran with enthusiasm, but in the wrong direction. And the truth is, that’s how some people live. They hustle. They work. They pour out effort, but they’re chasing the wrong finish line. They’re running after success or comfort or control. Paul is reminding us: don’t run aimlessly. Don’t spend your energy chasing things that won’t last. The goal isn’t achievement. It’s Christ.

So that raises a question worth asking: is your spiritual life marked by momentum or just maintenance? Have you grown content with where you are—or is there a hunger to keep growing, to know Christ more deeply, to become more like Him? It’s easy to settle, to let the fire fade, to slip into autopilot. But Paul—who’s already suffered for the gospel, planted churches, written Scripture—he’s still running. Still straining. Still pressing on.

Growing in Christ Means Following Faithful Examples (vv. 15–17)

Paul makes a bold request here: “Imitate me, and others who live like me.” He’s not saying this because he sees himself as flawless. In fact, we’ve just heard him admit he hasn’t arrived. But he’s pressing forward—and he knows we all need people in our lives who show us what that looks like. People whose lives give us a lived picture of faithful perseverance.

This is one of the reasons community matters so deeply. We’re shaped—often more than we realize—by the people we spend time with and the voices we let into our lives. And in a digital age, those influences aren’t just local. The algorithms on our social feeds are constantly adjusting to what we linger on. What we click. What we watch. They feed us more of what we pay attention to. That means our inputs—both online and in real life—are forming us, even if we’re not aware of it.

Sometimes I run a little experiment on Instagram. I’ll start watching clips from gospel-centered preachers—MacArthur, Keller, Sproul—or even just quiet Scripture meditations. And within a few minutes, the feed starts shifting. It begins to serve me more of that content, more truth, more beauty. But I know that’s not the only input I receive. And it’s not the only one you receive either. If we’re not paying attention, we’ll be shaped more by the stream of culture than by the Spirit of Christ.

That’s why Paul’s call to imitation matters so much. He’s not saying, “Look how great I am.” He’s saying, “Look what God’s grace can do.” His life isn’t a trophy of human effort—it’s a trophy of divine mercy. When we put ourselves around men and women whose lives reflect that kind of grace, it helps us stay oriented. They become like trail markers for the journey. Their stories remind us that God really does change people—and that He’s still changing us.

So let me ask: who are you watching? Who are you learning from? And who are your kids watching? Whether it’s online or in person, are you intentionally placing yourself near people worth imitating—people who make you want to know Christ more? And just as importantly, are you becoming someone that others could look to as well—not because you’re perfect, but because you’re pressing on?

Living for Christ Means Staying on Course (vv. 18–19)

Paul’s tone shifts here. He’s grieved—genuinely heartbroken—for those who have veered off the path. These aren’t abstract outsiders. These are people who once professed Christ. People who were part of the community. And now, tragically, they walk as enemies of the cross.

He doesn’t just offer a label—he describes them. He says their god is their belly, meaning they’re ruled by their appetites and desires. Whatever feels good in the moment, that’s what they follow. He says their glory is their shame—they boast in things they ought to repent of. Instead of being humbled by grace, they revel in rebellion. And he says their minds are set on earthly things. Their horizon is limited to what they can see, touch, and enjoy right now. They live like this world is all there is.

What’s sobering is that these appetites aren’t always obviously sinful. Sometimes it’s not drugs or theft or overt immorality. It’s subtler—good things made ultimate. A career that becomes your identity. Comfort that becomes your god. Influence or experience or family or freedom that slowly push Christ to the side. But when anything replaces Him at the center, the result is the same: we drift. And that drift leads to destruction.

Paul doesn’t speak this way because he’s above it or untouched by it. He knows it personally. He’s been slandered. Undermined. Forsaken by people who once called him brother. And yet, notice what he does. He doesn’t retaliate. He doesn’t rage. He weeps. That’s the heart of someone who knows grace. He knows there are only two paths in the end—the narrow road of the cross, and the broad road that leads to destruction, just as Jesus said in Matthew 7.

So let me ask: what gets your attention? What excites you, drives you, keeps you up at night or fuels your imagination? What does your mind drift toward when it’s free to wander? That’s not a throwaway question. Because those answers reveal something vital—they show you where your heart is headed.

Hope in Christ Means Remembering Where You Really Belong (vv. 20–21)

Paul reminds us of something easy to forget: “Our citizenship is in heaven.” And he doesn’t say it will be someday. He says it is, right now. That means our primary identity, our truest allegiance, isn’t to any nation, tribe, or passing moment in history. It’s to Christ and His kingdom.

But that doesn’t mean we check out of the world or retreat into some spiritual bubble. It means we engage differently. We live with hope instead of fear. Patience instead of panic. We actively wait for our Savior, Jesus Christ. And when He comes, He will do something astonishing: He will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body. That’s not just poetic. That’s a promise.

The same power that holds galaxies in place, the same authority that raised Jesus from the dead, will one day raise and glorify your body. That’s where this story is heading. That’s the destination.

I think back to a winter hike I took as a kid at Chestnut Ridge Park outside Buffalo. The park has this strange little wonder: a waterfall with a flame burning behind it. They call it the Eternal Flame. Looking back, it probably wasn’t an arduous, epic journey, but to me, as a kid, it felt that way. It certainly was not an easy, glee-filled run down Hospital Hill. At the end, though, was something beautiful: a waterfall, and just behind it, a steady flame.

That’s a small picture of the Christian life. The path can feel steep. The pace can be slow. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re making progress. But it’s worth it, not because of how the journey feels, but because of what’s waiting at the end.

So let me ask: what would change if you really believed that your future is secure, glorious, and ruled by Christ? What would shift if you lived not as a tourist here—but as a citizen of heaven?

Our Response

After a week like Summer Blast and M2M, we rejoice. But not just in fun memories. In the formation of souls for eternity.

We’re not just here to raise polite, well-behaved kids. We’re here to disciple them, that they might follow Christ in everything – thoughts, words, and deeds. And not because they’re conditioned to, but because they’ve been set free by grace and its the desire of their hearts.

Let’s be that kind of church. Let’s run this race together.

Your Response

So where are you today?

• Tired? Don’t give up.
• Coasting? Wake up.
• Ruled by appetite? Repent.
• Overwhelmed? Remember: He has made you His own.

The Christian life isn’t an endless uphill climb for an occasional joyride. It’s a hard but beautiful journey to glory.

Christ is not just your guide. He is your goal. And He walks with you every step.

Conclusion

“He will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:21)

That’s the promise. That’s the finish line. So let it keep you running—with joy, with hope, and with others—until the day He returns.

Reflection & Discussion

Use these questions for personal reflection, journaling, or group conversation.

What does it mean to “press on” in your current season?
Where do you feel tired, discouraged, or spiritually stagnant? How might Paul’s words in Philippians 3:12–14 call you to active, grace-fueled perseverance? (Hebrews 12:1–2; Isaiah 40:29–31)

What part of your past do you have trouble forgetting?
Paul says he forgets what is behind—not because it doesn’t matter, but because it no longer defines him. Are you more weighed down by past failures or past achievements? How might Christ reshape your story? (Philippians 3:13; 1 Timothy 1:12–16)

What is the “upward call” you are chasing?
What goal most animates your life right now? Is it tied to career, comfort, approval, or something eternal? How can you reorient your ambitions around God’s call in Christ? (Philippians 3:14; Matthew 6:19–21)

Where do you struggle to think like a “mature” follower of Jesus?
Paul says mature believers know they haven’t arrived. Where are you tempted to believe you’re “doing just fine”? How can humility help you keep growing in grace? (Philippians 3:15; James 3:13; 2 Peter 3:17–18)

Who are you following—and who’s following you?
Paul urges believers to imitate him and others who live with eternity in view. Who has shaped your walk with Christ? How are you modeling gospel hope for others? (Philippians 3:17; Hebrews 13:7; 1 Corinthians 11:1)

How do you see the contrast between cross-shaped living and appetite-driven living?
Paul warns of people whose “god is their belly.” What does that mean today? Where might you be numbing pain or chasing ease rather than sharing in Christ’s suffering? (Philippians 3:18–19; Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 3:4)

What difference does it make that “our citizenship is in heaven”?
When you think about your identity, what role does your heavenly citizenship play? How might remembering your truest home give you hope, courage, and peace this week? (Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 11:13–16)

What do you long for most when you think of Christ’s return?
Paul says we await a Savior who will “transform our lowly bodies.” How does that promise encourage you when facing weakness, suffering, or grief? (Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:51–53; Revelation 21:4–5)

Where are you settling for less than resurrection life?
Paul wants to “know Christ… and the power of His resurrection.” What would it look like to live with that kind of expectancy and joy in your everyday life? (Philippians 3:10–11; Romans 6:4–5)

What would it look like to run this race together—not alone?
Paul’s tone throughout the letter is communal. How might pressing on toward Christ be different if you let others into your journey? Who do you need to encourage—or invite alongside you? (Philippians 3:17; Galatians 6:2; Ecclesiastes 4:9–10)

Related Scriptures for Further Study

• Philippians 3:10–21 – “That I may know Him… and press on…”
• Hebrews 12:1–2 – “Let us run with endurance… fixing our eyes on Jesus.”
• Isaiah 40:29–31 – “They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength…”
• 1 Timothy 1:12–16 – Paul’s testimony: past mercy, present mission.
• Romans 8:17–18 – “We suffer with Him… that we may also be glorified with Him.”
• Matthew 6:19–21 – “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
• Colossians 3:1–4 – “Set your minds on things above…”
• 1 Corinthians 15:51–53 – “We shall be changed… the perishable must put on the imperishable.”
• 2 Peter 3:11–14 – “What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness…?”
• Revelation 21:4–5 – “He will wipe away every tear… Behold, I am making all things new.”
• Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 – “Two are better than one… if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.”
• Galatians 6:2 – “Bear one another’s burdens…”

These sermon summaries are solely intended for the personal devotional use of church members and friends. They are not transcripts or academic works and should not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

Originally prepared by Kevin Labby during his vocational service at First Evangelical Free Church of McKeesport. Used with permission. Copyright remains with the church. Please do not reproduce or distribute without written consent from both the church and the author.