The Chase for the Championship

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

For pro football players, it’s all about the Lombardi Trophy. In baseball, the goal is raising the World Series banner. NBA players will do anything to win a ring. The Stanley Cup is the ultimate prize in hockey. Winning the championship and taking home the trophy drives professional athletes to unthinkable sacrifice and effort. But Paul makes it clear there’s real only one award that matters. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (v14). The apostle is obviously a first century sports fan. He’s like an athlete going for broke to win it all. However this isn’t about taking home a trophy. Paul pushes hard to get his hands on everything God has for him in Jesus. It’s all about the chase for the championship.

Earlier in his life, the apostle devoted himself to filling his trophy case (Phil 3:4-6). His goal was to impress God by piling up accomplishments on his religious resume. Boy, did he ever. There was just one little problem. Once he met the resurrected Jesus, the former Pharisee realized he was totally wasting his time. It was like trying to win the Super Bowl playing fantasy football. Everything he’d done wasn’t even going to get him into the playoffs, much less a championship. Only after God saved Paul did he come to understand Christ had already won the title for him. It wasn’t about piling up stats or winning awards. It was all about trusting in what Jesus had done for us. Once he realized all that God has done for him, the apostle chased after the championship Christ had already won for him.

Paul is devoted to “press on toward the goal for the prize” (v14). “Press on” is the Greek verb dioko. It describes running after, chasing, or hunting something down. It carries the idea of aggression and relentlessness. Earlier in his career as a terrorist, the man formerly known as Saul was “persecuting (Gr. dioko) the church” (Phil 3:6). Once Jesus got ahold of him and put him on God’s team, Paul was going to “press on (Gr. dioko)” for a deeper intimacy with his Savior (Phil 3:12). He’s in hot pursuit of the ultimate prize. If we’re comparing our journey with Jesus with a sports season, realizing God has made us part of kingdom is like making the playoffs. But just getting to the postseason isn’t enough. That’s just the first step his road to the title. The hunt is just beginning. Just like in sports, the intensity ratchets up during the playoffs. Teams devote themselves totally to winning the title 24/7 in the postseason. Former NFL coach George Allen used to say, “The future is now!” If you think there’s a difference in effort in the playoffs, that’s nothing compared to Paul’s commitment to know more of Jesus.

The apostle is focused on the “goal” (v14). The Greek word here is skopos. It means a distant object one is trying to reach, something which all activity is directed, or the aim. This is actually an athletic term for the finish line. That’s not surprising. Several times in his letters, Paul reads like a sportswriter covering first century sports (Rom 11:11; 1Cor 9:24-27; Gal 5:7; Phil 1:27-30; 2:16-18; 2Tim 2:5; 4:7; 1Th 2:19). Picture a scene from your favorite sport during crunch time. A ball carrier stretching toward the pylon. A basketball player focused on the hoop. A golfer locked in on the cup. We’re talking total focus. Blinders. Tunnel vision.

His eyes are on the “prize” (Gr. brabeion). Once again, Paul sounds like he’s writing for ESPN or Deadspin instead of to a church in Macedonia. This describes the award which goes to the winner of the competition. It comes from the word for umpire or referee who awards the prize. This is doing everything within the rules to win. No cheating. No PEDs. You win fair and square. In a letter to Corinth, he writes, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize (Gr. brabeion)?” (1Cor 9:24). He’s talking about winning a medal in the Olympics. Lifting the Stanley Cup. Raising the World Series pennant. The apostle has his eyes on the prize of knowing Jesus. Nothing else matters.

Paul compares knowing Jesus as win at all costs. It reminds me of some great quotes throughout the years. Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi said, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt would say, “Second place is just the first loser.” But is there a better quote on victory than the words of Ricky Bobby? “If you ain’t first,  you’re last!” Well, if winning means more of Christ, the apostle would be the first to agree.

For a follower of Jesus, the ultimate championship is “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (v14). In other words, God calls us to Himself through His Son. It’s Jesus who lived the perfect life on our behalf. In sports terms, He’s undefeated and unscored on. Every game isn’t just a no-hitter, it’s a perfect game. He did for us what we could never do for ourselves. He’s got the title in His hands and invites us to share in His victory. Jesus is the Goal. Jesus is the Prize. I love how Eugene Peterson paraphrases verse 14. “I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back” (v14 The Message). Eyes on the prize, baby. This is the chase for the ultimate championship!