First Mennonite Church
December 28, 2025
Having One Goal Only!
Text: Philippians 3:1-11
In our Old Testament passage, the prophet Micah challenged Ancient Israel with this soul-searching question: “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? The intention of Micah’s question was to make God’s people seriously consider their motivations and gifts they brought when they came to worship the Lord. Therefore, this was not a rhetorical question. It was a question intended to bring changes in the people regarding their attitude, motivations, and the quality of their offering they gave Yahweh, their God.
If we were to translate this question to our time, it would sound something like this: What motivated you to come to worship the Lord today? Are you truly expecting God to meet you? What do you expect to receive from God or his people today? What did you bring today to give the Lord as an offering? Again, this is Micah: “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? This is a question we should ask ourselves daily or at least every time we come to worship.
The New Testament passage for today will help us determine what or better said, who the greatest treasure we should pursue in life. The passage in Philippians will help us take a good look at the pursuits we have in life and whether they are what matter most.
There are seven things Paul came to consider as trash. The Greek word “Skubala” means “dirt”, “refuse,” “dung” (JKV), or “excrement.” This is the only place in the New Testament that this word appears. We might wonder: why did Paul use this very unusual language or vocabulary? Most likely, he wanted to emphasis his profound sense of distaste or rejection of what he listed as rubbish.
Paul begins this chapter with a call to rejoice after he told the Philippians about the near-death experience of one of his missionary companions—Epaphroditus, had. This report is followed by something more like an apology for writing to them much about the same things. Then, Paul moves with a warning: “Beware of the dogs, evil workers, and mutilators.” It is pretty shocking that Paul would describe false teachers with this kind of language. These false teachers wanted the new believers to embrace Jewish practices as part of their new found faith in Jesus. These teachers were promoting a version of Christianity plus something else—namely circumcision, dietary practices, and other Jewish religious observances. Paul knew very well that his people—the Jews, had had tremendous difficulty living by each and every ritual, practice and observance they have been commanded to live by. In fact, Paul claims that no one had been able to live by the law. But what was more, Paul knew that such religious requirements were not binding for those who have come to have faith in Jesus. Jesus is everything the new believer needed and needs.
So, Paul goes on to tell the Philippians about himself in regards to these issues. Paul gives a list of 7 things he once had pride in before coming to Christ.
Thus, he writes: If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more:
- circumcised on the eighth day,
- a member of the people of Israel,
- of the tribe of Benjamin,
- a Hebrew born of Hebrews;
- as to the law, a Pharisee;
- as to zeal, a persecutor of the church;
- as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Paul fulfilled every ritual there was to be fulfilled by a Jewish man. Paul attained prominence among his peers as a Pharisee. His zeal was such that he could not tolerate his fellow Jews confessing Jesus as God’s Messiah. He wanted to destroy them. And in regards to his personal morality, he was blameless. What was there that he did not achieve? He had a perfect resume. He got it all. He was crème de la crème, religiously and morally speaking. But once he came to the knowledge of God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ, his views about these things that once gave him an outstanding reputation, suddenly became worthless. Thus, Paul came to regard them as rubbish.
If we take a closer look to the list of things Paul called rubbish, we would be surprised to find out these are not sins, except being a persecutor of the church, probably. There are some things Paul could not help being. He could not choose his race or his lineage. And the other qualities he achieved were admirable. He was a faithful observer of his religion. He was morally perfect according to his religion and culture. Paul did not become complacent with simply being a good religious observer, he pursued to become the best and he achieved it. All of these qualities made other envious of him. Yet, when Paul discovered Christ, or maybe, when Paul was discovered by Jesus Christ, Paul realized that everything he held dearly was nothing compared to the glory and grace bestowed upon him by Christ Jesus. “I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,” Paul said.
Knowing Christ Jesus is the ultimate goal.
From the day Jesus met Paul on the Damascus Road, Paul made the firm determination that he would desire nothing else but to know Christ in his power. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death.
As we turn the last pages of this year, ask yourself: what is my greatest achievement this year? This question is absolutely important, not only at the end of the year, but especially when our time here on earth comes to an end. With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high? Asks Micah.
We are closing the book of our lives for 2025. What can we show God as our greatest achievement this year? For one, if what you achieved gives you joy, give thanks to the Lord. If your greatest achievement helped others, give glory to the Lord.
There is nothing wrong with pursuing and reaching our goals in life. Having lots of friends, achieving success in life, and having a good reputation are all commendable pursuits in life. But let us take it from Paul who was also a very successful man, yet when he found Jesus, his perspective radically changed. The refrain of the hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus expresses that idea.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of his glory and grace. (Praise, Our Songs and Hymns #284)
In the end only one thing will matter. And that is if we have known Christ and the power of his resurrection. He is the greatest treasure we could ever possess.
As we approach the threshold of a new year, let us determine to get to know the Lord in a deeper and personal way than we have ever done. Let us determine to experience his love in fresher manner. Let us determine to allow him to shape us furthermore into his likeness. Amen!
Pastor Romero