Christ is the goal.
Scripture reveals what He's like. The Spirit of God has the power to move you into His image. Paul has given you a path to follow.
The Church is to put flesh and blood leadership in your view that you can observe very closely in order to see how to walk. Welcome to Grace To You with John MacArthur. I'm your host, Phil Johnson.
To finish the 26.2 miles of a marathon, you definitely need some serious training. Imagine, then, what it takes to run the race that Philippians chapter 3 describes, a race that's going to last the rest of your life. Today on Grace To You, John MacArthur shows you how to strengthen your spiritual muscles and build endurance and race to win in the new year.
John calls his current series, Reaching for the Prize. If you have your Bible, turn to Philippians chapter 3 as John begins today's lesson. Philippians chapter 3 verses 17 to 21. Brethren, join in following my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.
By the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. As you come to verse 17, Paul wants to get practical. And he suggests to us that there are three necessary elements in this pursuit that will enhance us as we pursue. Three things that are necessary for pursuing Christ's likeness. Number one, following after examples. Number two, fleeing from enemies. And number three, fixing on expectations. Those are the three things he deals with in verses 17 to 21. Following after examples, fleeing from enemies, and fixing on expectations.
Let's look at number one. If I am to pursue this goal of Christ's likeness, then I need to follow some example to show me how. Look at verse 17. Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. Now that whole verse is just about follow others who are pursuing this prize. Now let me talk to you about that for just a moment.
I want you to understand it. First of all, Paul is not putting himself on a pedestal, not a pedestal of perfection. Paul is not saying, I'm perfect, be like me.
What Paul is saying is, I'm imperfect, follow the way I move toward that perfection. If I were to climb a high mountain, a dangerous climbing expedition alone, which is a very remote possibility, folks, but should it occur, there is a little adventure in me. And I should decide to climb this mountain.
And I should get equipped with all the stuff you need to climb this precarious precipice. Of what significance would it be for a helicopter to fly across the peak of that thing and drop some guy on the top? And have that guy up there looking down and shouting, I'm up here, this is where you want to come. If you can just get up here, this is the top. And I'm looking up, and I'm down here, and he's up there. The problem is, he got up there by helicopter and he doesn't know the way up either.
He hasn't gone that route. He is not of much help to me. In fact, the more he hollers at me on the way up, the more frustrating it will become. What I would rather have is some guy ahead of me who is climbing the path and says, follow me, I know the way up.
What I need is somebody who models the way up, who shows me the process. How do I deal with my fallen flesh? How do I deal with the struggles of life? How do I deal with disappointment?
How do I deal with trials? How do I deal with pride? How do I deal with temptation? How do I deal with sin? Somebody's got to show me that path because it's only in the overcoming of my sinfulness that I move toward being like Christ. So I have to follow somebody who's battling to overcome sin.
If I'm going to climb this precipice, I want somebody who knows the way with a rope around his waist hooked to mine, who pulls me up the right way. That's Paul. Paul put himself in that position numerous times. And he is saying, I'm not the perfect model, that's Christ.
I'm just somebody who can follow on the path of victory. So he says, look at verse 17, join in following my example. Literally the Greek says, be fellow imitators of me, or keep on being fellow imitators, sum mimitus, from which we get the word mimic.
Sum means together with. It's a sort of a collective call. He's saying, all of you, all of you be fellow imitators of me. Mimic me. Follow the way that I live my life. Back to verse 14, I am pressing on toward the goal.
You watch how I do it. You know, I believe that there isn't any better historical example than Paul. And that is one of the reasons surely why the Holy Spirit filled the New Testament with that one man. He dominates everything after the gospels. He dominates the book of Acts from chapter 13 on. Thirteen of the epistles came out of his pen and out of his heart and out of his mind and out of his life. He's a dominant figure.
And why? Because we can pattern ourselves after him. We can see how he struggled with the flesh. He is a model for us of virtue. He is a model for us of morality. He's a model of victory and temptation. He's a model for us of worship. He's a model for us of service. He's a model for us of patience and endurance and suffering. He's a model of handling temper. He's a model of handling possessions. He's a model of handling relationships. In so many ways he shows us how godliness deals with fallenness.
Something Christ could never show us because he was never fallen. And I believe that one of the reasons the Holy Spirit has loaded the New Testament with this man is because he has such a marvelous pattern. That's why he said to the Corinthians twice, be followers of me. That's why he wrote to the Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 6, You became imitators of us and of the Lord whom we imitate. So as you study the New Testament and as I do, we can see through the life of Paul so much that helps us.
And I confess to you, beloved, that through the life of this guy in my ministry, the number one model has been Paul. He is the pattern of the pathway, the pursuit. He's the climber that I try to follow after. I try to see how he handled situations. I try to hear his heartbeat. I can go back and read and read and read the same things over and over and over about Paul as reminders of how I'm to respond, how I'm to live, how I'm to act, how I'm to order my priorities, how I'm to deal with trials and suffering and trouble. He is a constant pattern for me.
Constant. But it goes beyond that and I want you to note that he knows that. Go back to verse 17. He says, Join in following my example and observe...and that, by the way, scapete is the same root word as scapas which is translated goal in verse 14. And when it says observe, it means fix your gaze on.
It's like looking at a goal and fixing on it. So he's saying fix your gaze on those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. By the way, I prefer the idea that that us there refers to Paul.
It's what I call...I guess you would call it a literary plural designed to manifest humility. It could refer to Paul, Timothy, Epaphroditus and it wouldn't be wrong to assume that. But Paul uses that in a couple of places and I think it's kind of a literary device that sort of wants to diffuse saying follow me, follow me, I'm the perfect... He just says us which sort of diffuses a little bit of that personal aggrandizement that someone might accuse him of. But nonetheless, what he is saying is not only follow me, but observe others who walk according to the pattern that I manifest.
So follow this. He probably does have in mind Timothy and Epaphroditus, but beyond them. They've already been mentioned in the epistle.
They were known to the Philippians. He is saying follow other people who follow me. Now listen carefully. We can all follow Paul because he's in print.
But that has its limitations. And so what he is saying is go one beyond that and follow flesh and blood. Timothy and Epaphroditus and the others never wrote New Testament books.
We have no historical record. So if we can sum it up, the idea here would be this. Christ is the goal. Christ is the standard.
Christ is the model. We are to be like Christ. In order to know how Christ is, we study the Word of God. We study it until the Word about Christ dwells in us deeply. Then we have a deep understanding of Christ so we know what He's like, so we know what we are to be like. Secondly, we yield to the Spirit of God who keeps molding us into that likeness which we understand. Now in order to get on that path and have someone to follow, we follow Paul who literally is revealed to us in a replete way in the New Testament.
So we have plenty of data in order to know how he lived and how he acted. But beyond that, we need some flesh and blood, tangible, living, breathing people that we can also follow. And so Paul takes it a step further and says, Observe those who walk, that is daily conduct, who daily live their life according to the pattern you have in me or in that us idea. Now how does this practically come down to us?
Beloved, we have the same situation today. The goal is Christ. We have a wonderful pattern for pursuing the goal in Paul, but we need some flesh and blood examples, don't we? We don't have Timothy, we don't have Epaphroditus.
They didn't write anything. So we have nothing to follow by way of written material. But we do have godly pastors and elders. And I believe the responsibilities of the Timothys and the Epaphroditus of that age are the responsibilities of the pastor-teachers, elders of this age. And we have that great responsibility of following after Paul toward Christ in such a way that we become the flesh and blood that others follow. This is our responsibility. This is the responsibility of those elders and overseers and pastor-teachers and teachers who lead. We are to set the pattern.
This is so important, so important. Paul in writing to Timothy says, be an example, be an example. And he even delineates the categories in which that exemplary living is to take place. Be an example in speech, conduct, love, faithfulness and purity. Live an exemplary life.
Why? You're showing people the path. Yes, they see the perfection of Christ. Yes, they can read about the path of Paul.
But they need somebody they can touch, somebody they can watch, somebody they can feel, somebody they can talk to, somebody they can know, somebody in their world, in their time, in their place they can follow. Paul is not saying imitate my gifts. He's not saying imitate my calling, my privileges, my achievements.
No. He's saying imitate my and others who also are imitating mine, virtues, our humility, our unselfish service, our willingness to suffer, our devotion to Christ, our courage, our effort in spiritual growth. That's what he wants us to imitate. But beloved, it weighs heavy on my heart that I have that responsibility as do the elders of this church and every church and every pastor and teacher to be people that you can follow. That is a God-ordained mandate. It is important what I say. It is important what any teacher of the Word of God says. It is essential that we teach truth, that we be true to the Word of God. But it must be sustained, supported, surrounded, undergirded by a virtuous life.
You're coming up that same mountain and you can see the goal at the top, but you need somebody whose rope you can hang on to, somebody you can touch and grasp so that you can follow the path. Personally, I believe this is one of the most serious failings in the church today. I don't know all that church history will record in the future, but I think it will record with the disastrous collapse of so many spiritual leaders, quote-unquote, that the standard of expectation was lowered and many, many, many thousands, if not millions of people lost their way on the path to Christ's likeness. That's the tragedy.
That's the tragedy. I mean, where do you go to find the Timothy's and the Epaphroditus? Where are the holy men? Where are the truthful men? Where are the kind and those who manifest the meekness and gentleness of Christ? Where are the powerful? Where are the humble? Where are the unselfish models of virtue? Where are those who show us the path of victory over temptation? Where are those who walk that holy walk? Where are those who show us the path of prayer in adversity? Where are those who show us how to handle trial and difficulty? Who can we observe? Who can we hold on to?
Whose rope will help us climb? Who lives the truth? Who are the leaders that can say, imitate me? That's the mandate. That's the mandate. Another reason that the whole process of spiritual growth toward Christ's likeness is so blurred and marred today is because the leadership has fogged up the issue.
The pattern is very simple. Christ is the goal. Scripture reveals what He's like. The Spirit of God has the power to move you into His image. Paul has given you a path to follow. The church is to put flesh and blood leadership in your view that you can observe very closely in order to see how to walk. But so much has skewed that very simple construct.
The goal and the pattern is still Christ. The interpretation of the Bible has been hopelessly blurred in this particular age which tolerates anybody's view on anything about anything. And it is very indistinct as to interpretation.
In fact, if you interpret it distinctly and clearly, you'll usually lose most people if you don't offend them. Furthermore, a misunderstanding and misrepresentation of the ministry of the Holy Spirit has skewed the process by which He brings about the Christlikeness. And then you come down to the level of the Apostle Paul and they can't even agree on the character of his teaching. Then you come down to the level of spiritual leadership and all kinds of people are in positions of spiritual leadership who are anything but patterns to follow. And the net effect of all of this disintegration is the blurring of the whole matter of Christlikeness.
People are lost in the process, distracted, deviated from the real goal. We have a sick and distorted church because we have lost our way. We have lost our way simply because we've lost sight of Christ. We've lost sight of the Word and the Spirit. We've lost sight of the clear, crystal clear patterns of teaching in the Apostle Paul's revelation.
And we don't have the leadership that we so desperately need to follow. And we tolerate a lower standard of leadership than the Bible would ever allow. The simplicity of Christian living, beloved, is to be like Christ.
That covers all the bases. That'll take care of living to the glory of God. That'll take care of all the relationships in your life because Christlikeness produces right relationships. That'll take care of the matters of Christian service. That'll take care of the matters of evangelism. How did we ever get so diffused into so much stuff and lose sight of the simplicity of becoming like Jesus Christ? Let's bow together in prayer.
Father, it's hard for us to imagine why You would even want to allow us to pursue such a goal. I pray that You would make me more like Christ, that I may know Him so deeply, that I may know as much as is possible what He is like, that I might know what I'm to be like. Help me to follow the pattern that Paul set who struggled so much with his weakness, with his pride, with his flesh, who struggled so much with trials and troubles and temptations and testings and yet in all things was so patient and enduring, who in the midst of difficult situations could speak a fitting word and minister grace, who was so bold and courageous even as Christ, who lived for one great cause and that was eternal. Help us, Lord, to see Him as the pathfinder, the trailblazer down this path that pursues Christ's likeness. Thank You, Lord, also for the others in my life, the modern-day Timothy's and Epaphroditus who showed me the way, who continue to show me the way, who have taken hold of my hand and they following Paul toward Christ have led me.
And Lord, I pray for this whole congregation that all of us would realize that the only real reason that the pastors and elders are to play that role, take that responsibility is that they might teach the congregation to do that for each other. And help us to know that the chain comes all the way down to every one of us being the example that somebody else can follow. Even as Paul said to the Philippians, I'm a pattern.
Timothy and Epaphroditus are a pattern. Now you follow them so that you can be a pattern. Give us a new hunger for your word that we might know Christ better as is revealed there. Give us a new devotion to the Spirit of God who can shape us into His image. Give us a new desire to follow our leadership closely.
And we might be the leader for someone else to move to being more like you. What a privilege. And Father, fill our hearts with that wondrous knowledge that that which is an unattainable goal in this life becomes the prize in the life to come. That when the upward call of God in Christ Jesus comes and we are called to glory, then we shall instantly receive the prize of being like the one we have pursued all our life. What an unimaginable privilege for which we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. You're listening to Grace to You with John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University and Seminary.
Thank you for tuning in today. John's current series is titled Reaching for the Prize. Well, with the year 2024 winding down, it's natural to think about setting goals for our spiritual growth in the coming year. And of course, there's nothing more important for spiritual growth than having a consistent diet of the Word of God. We all need that. And John, for every Christian, and it doesn't matter how long you've been walking with the Lord, feeding on scripture as we should requires discipline.
It does. And that discipline should be driven by the reality that our Lord said, men shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Certainly for a believer to understand that every word is inspired. Every word is profitable from Genesis to Revelation should be a mandate that sends you daily into the precious word of God. We want to help you with that.
So I want to mention a tool, a resource that you can use. It's the MacArthur Daily Bible. You read God's word every day, and every day you get a portion of the Old Testament, a portion of the New Testament, a portion of the Psalms, and something of Proverbs. The profound truth of scripture, when you expose yourself to it every day on a verse-by-verse plan, will necessarily change your life. It's not just a habit for habit's sake.
It's a habit for transformation's sake. The word is alive and powerful, and it does the work of God by the Spirit of God. I would suggest that this is a great tool for an individual. It's a great tool for husbands and wives who read together or families. It's a good time to order your copy of the MacArthur Daily Bible.
And to do that, just go to the website gty.org. And when our staff returns to the office next week, we'll process your order and get your Daily Bible to you as soon as possible after the start of 2025. Order the MacArthur Daily Bible today.
Thanks, John. Friend, if you want to develop a consistent habit of studying God's word in the coming year, the MacArthur Daily Bible can be a big help. With daily readings from the Old and New Testaments, Psalms and Proverbs, study notes from John, it can help you understand the flow of God's word like never before. Order the Daily Bible when you go online today. Our web address is gty.org.
That's the best way to order your copy of the MacArthur Daily Bible. Until our staff returns in the new year, our website again, gty.org. And keep in mind that this time of year is critical for our ministry. About a quarter of our annual budget is typically met by gifts we receive at the end of the year. So thank you for praying as we move into the new year, and thank you also for supporting this work financially. To partner with us, you can mail your tax-deductible donation to Grace To You, Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412. And remember, your gift is tax-deductible for 2024 if you make it by check and have it postmarked by December 31st, or if you make it online by credit card by 1159 p.m. on December 31st.
Our address again, Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412. Or donate at our website, gty.org. By donating, you will help us get God's truth to spiritually-needed people around the world. Now for John MacArthur, I'm Phil Johnson. Be back tomorrow as John looks at some things you need to avoid in order to pursue greater Christ-likeness as you run the race. It's another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time, on Grace To You.
