Hot Pursuit

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2Tim 2:22).

It seems like everybody is chasing something. Lawyers chase ambulances. Parents chase their kids. Athletes chase a ring. Actors chase an Oscar. Dogs chase cats. Cats chase mice. What are you chasing? Are you chasing your dream career? A big house in the ‘burbs? A sweet ride? A fat 401k?

In his second letter to his spiritual son, the Apostle Paul encourages Timothy to make sure he stops chasing the wrong things and start chasing the right things. “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (v22). It’s time to grow up. Stop the wild goose chase and start the wild God chase. Make it a priority of hanging out with folks whose hearts are focused on Jesus. Run away from kid stuff and run toward God stuff. We must be in a constant hot pursuit of the things of Jesus!

While Paul encourages Tim to get moving, the apostle isn’t going anywhere. Well, at least not physically. The man from Tarsus writes the young preacher from Death Row in Rome while wearing heavy chains (2Tim 1:16; 2:8). Paul’s race is just about over and he’s leaning toward the finish line (2Tim 4:6-7).

He pleads with his protege to hurry and see him one last time (2Tim 4:9, 21). Just in case he can’t get there in time, his mentor hurriedly scribbles down instructions for how to continue telling people about Jesus and spreading His Gospel (2Tim 2:1-4:5). 2nd Timothy is the very last thing from Paul’s pen. It’s incredibly urgent. It’s powerfully personal.

The apostle tells Tim to “flee youthful passions” (v22). It’s more evidence of the work God has done in the the dude from Lystra who was still just a kid (Acts 16:1). In his first letter to the young buck, Paul encourages him to not let anybody think he’s too wet behind the ears to lead and shepherd the church in Ephesus (1Tim 4:12).

Like so many other talented young leaders, Tim needs a reminder to put the stuff of youth in the rearview mirror. “Flee” (Gr. φευγω/pheugo) means to escape, run away, take flight, seek safety, or quickly disappear. It’s where we get our word “fugitive.” When Jesus chases a truckload of demons into a herd of pigs and they jump off a cliff, “the herdsmen fled (Gr. φευγω/pheugo)” back to town (Mt 8:33).

Paul makes the bigger point that we can’t get locked in the prison of childish activity. Grow up and escape from the juvy joint. We’ve gotta get away from “youthful passions.” Be a fugitive from immature behavior. Be on the lamb from acting like a middle schooler. And the form of the verb is what Greek scholars call present imperative. That simply means it’s a command that never ends. In other words, start escaping and never stop escaping. It’s like Richard Kimball in “The Fugitive.” He had to keep moving because the feds were always one step behind.

Run away from kid stuff and run toward God stuff.

We need to chat just a moment about what Paul is NOT saying. He’s not contradicting Jesus’ encouragement to His followers to have a childlike faith (Mt 18:3-17; Mk 10:13-16; Lk 18:15-17). That’s when we place our simple trust in our awesome and loving Heavenly Dad. He loves your more than you can imagine. He wants His best for you. That’s having the faith of a child. Never lose that.

Instead the apostle is warning his spiritual son Tim and the rest of us that there comes a time to put on our big boy and big girl pants. The bell has rung and it’s time to come in from your eternal play period. You can still play video games if you want but those marathon sessions of Doom need to stop. Guys, quit spending every waking moment away from work on the golf course or in a tree stand. It’s time to come in from recess and be a man. If you’re married, be the husband God has called you to be. If you’re a dad, lead your family. Paul himself knew there came a point when he had to grow up (1Cor 13:11). Stop the wild goose chase. Stop chasing your tail. Stop chasing rainbows.

Run away from kid stuff and run toward God stuff.

So if I’m sprinting from immaturity at top speed, what exactly am I hightailing it toward? Paul is so very glad you asked. “Pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace” (v22). The apostle drops another intense and aggressive term here. “Pursue” (Gr. διωκω/dioko) paints a picture of running after, hunting down, chasing aggressively.

John uses this verb when the religious police “were persecuting (Gr. διωκω/dioko) Jesus” for breaking their manmade Sabbath rules (Jn 5:16). Our Savior repeatedly said that being intensely harassed pursued for following Him is actually a good thing (Mt 5:10-12). Luke uses this same word when describing Saul’s relentless hunt for the followers of Jesus in order to wipe them off the face of the earth (Acts 9:4-5; 22:4-8; 26:11-15).

But you can also turn “pursue (Gr. διωκω/dioko)” around when talking about the non-stop chase of “righteousness, faith, love, and peace” (v22). If you want to hunt something, the season is open and there’s no bag limit. Race after them. Chase after them. Don’t walk, RUN! And like the previous command, this is also in the present tense. That means we are to never stop pursuing. Think of a linebacker who’s always around the ball.

Run away from kid stuff and run toward God stuff.

Let’s take a quick look at the God stuff lineup. First out of the gate is “righteousness” (v22). Ultimately this is being perfect in the eyes of God. You DO realize that’s not happening, right? Not on your own, at least. Take a page out of Abraham’s playbook. He placed his trust in God’s goodness and God “credited to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:4-6; Rom 4:3; Gal 3:6; James 2:23).

While we can’t earn spotless perfection, there’s good news. Or I should say Good News. Jesus gives us what we could never get on our own. Our Heavenly Father allowed His sinless Son to take our sin “so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2Cor 5:21). It’s the Gospel of grace in concentrated form. Martin Luther liked to call it the Great Exchange. Even that might be an understatement.

Paul tells us we should also be in hot pursuit of “faith” (v22). This isn’t just the random belief that good stuff is going to happen. It’s trusting in who Jesus is and what He has done. I place my faith in the fact that the Lord lived the perfect life I’ve failed to live. He died the substitutionary death for my sin I should have died. He rose to a spectacular new life I don’t deserve. We chase faith by diving into the deep end of the pool of the Gospel. It doesn’t just get us into God’s kingdom. It’s what keeps us there too!

Number three in the pursuit of God stuff is “love” (v22). One of the megathemes of Scripture is that this sort of “love” (Gr. αγαπη/agape) is anything but a warm and fuzzy for someone. This is love in action. Love that’s demonstrated. Love that’s expressed. It’s a love that does. Love with hands and feet.

This kind of love is at the very core of God’s personality (1Jn 3:8, 16). We put love into action because we’ve been loved in the very same way.  God loved us first when we were totally unlovable (Jn 3:16; 1Jn 3:19). That means we’re to also love the unlovable. Jesus demonstrated it for us practically time and time again. He did it when He rolled up His supernatural sleeves and washed the disciples’ filthy feet (Jn 13:1-20).

Christ said that our love for each other will be signal to the world that we’re His followers (Jn 13:34). I don’t know about you but this would be a great place to start. Stop throwing fellow believers under the bus and start loving on them where they are. I have a sneaking suspicion our neighbors would wonder what got into us.

Batting cleanup in the God stuff lineup is “peace” (v22). The peace Paul’s describing is a whole lot more than just the lack of fighting and war. Let’s just say, that’s a GREAT place to start! If you’ve got a beef with someone, take a long, hard look at what’s behind it. Step one: stop fighting. Step two: forgive. Step three: attempt reconciliation.

But anytime we see the writers of the Bible talking about peace, they’re pointing to the Hebrew word “shalom” used in the Old Testament. Shalom is the unspoiled and perfect rhythm of life. It’s when the world is humming on all cylinders. There’s just one BIG problem. Our sin jacked up the engine of God’s flawless creation. He gives us His gracious Gospel not just as a tuneup and an oil change. It’s a NEW CAR! (Read that again using your game show announcer voice.) Let’s do everything we can to seek His peace in everything we do. Let’s face it, everyone loves that new peace smell.

Want to know what to pursue? Try this Fantastic Four. Righteousness. Faith. Love. Peace. Chase these and you’re doing what Jesus commands. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Mt 6:33).

Run away from kid stuff and run toward God stuff.

Paul gives Tim and his readers one last and very important tip. Don’t chase these things by yourself. Get yourself a posse and do it “along with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart” (v22). While Jesus comes to save each one of us individually, we need to remember that faith is a team sport. We need each other. I need you. You need me. Collectively we’re His body. His hands. His feet. His heart. We can’t do it alone. Intentionally associate with people who love Jesus with all that they are.

If you’re a fan of racing you know that competitors always go faster when they run together. Race cars go faster when they draft. The pack of cyclists in the peloton can collectively chase down a breakaway leader. It’s the same with following Jesus. Don’t chase Him alone. Intentionally get together with others “who call on the Lord with a pure heart” (v22).

Run away from kid stuff and run toward God stuff.

A Warning Sign on the Banks of Denial

“If we deny Him, He will also deny us” (2Tim 2:12).

The Nile is the longest river in the world. It runs through eleven countries. And just about every mile on the Nile is loaded with danger. Crocs. Hippos. Snakes. This might make for a fun ride at Disney World but an extended swim in the real Nile is ultimately fatal.

In the same way, a long swim in denial can also be killer. Specifically, when it comes to the longterm rejection of Jesus. (See what I did there?) In a letter to his young friend Timothy, the Apostle Paul warns, “If we deny Him, He will also deny us” (v12). By “Him” and “He,” the man from Tarsus is talking about Jesus. By “we” and “us,” he’s talking about you and me. 

Think of Paul’s words as a warning sign along the banks of denial. A lifetime of rejecting Jesus will make killer crocs seem like the least of your worries. Continually shoving away our Savior with a spiritual stiff arm eventually results in Him giving us the eternal Heisman. That’s because God will give us what us want. If we don’t want Him, He won’t force Himself into our lives. If we reject Jesus here in this life, it would be incredibly cruel for Him to drag us to heaven to spend eternity with Him. As the old saying goes, the gates of Hell are locked on the inside.

Paul sure knows a thing or two about being locked up. He’s writing to Timothy from behind bars (2Tim 1:8, 16; 2:9). Historians tell us he’s a prisoner inside Rome’s Mamertine Prison. It’s a tiny terrible dungeon that’s home to the empire’s Death Row. The apostle knows the clock is rapidly running out (2Tim 4:6-7). He pleads with his young friend to make one last visit before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21).

Why is all that background important? Well, if we don’t know the original reason why the human authors wrote these individual documents we call the Bible, we won’t know how to apply them to our own lives. Otherwise, we’ll make the mistake of pulling stuff completely out of context and totally misuse it. Think of the label that reads “apply as directed.” When something is misapplied, it’s not going to work like it should. Scripture is no different.

One cool tidbit about 2 Timothy 2:11-13 is that these verses contain lyrics lifted from a first century worship song. The apostle’s inclusion of these words lets us know they contain God’s truth. It also makes me wonder if he has this song stuck in his head while he walks the Green Mile. Do you have go-to tunes that you sing, hum, or whistle when times are tough? Seems to be what the former Pharisee is doing here. Call it an ear worm from Jesus.

Paul cuts and pastes four lines of lyrics loaded with great theology. First we see that following Jesus is a matter of life THROUGH death (2Tim 2:11). Second, life with Christ doesn’t come with an easy button but it hold the ultimate in delayed gratification (2Tim 2:12a). Third, we see this warning sign on the banks of detail (v12b). Fourth, Jesus has the faith we need when we have none (2Tim 2:13). Anybody know Chris Tomlin? If so, see if you can get him to cover this tune on his next CD.

Let’s be honest, that third line carries scary stuff: “If we deny Him, He also will deny us” (v12). It SHOULD freak us out. It’s SUPPOSED TO! My rejection of Jesus guarantees His rejection of me!! Is Paul telling us that anytime my faith wobbles and I turn my back on Christ, I’ve booked my ride in a hand basket headed straight to Hell? Considering my rather sketchy track record when it comes to following Jesus, it’s something I need to look into.

The key seems to be the repeated use of “deny.” This is the Greek verb αρνεομαι, which means to refuse, reject, renounce, or repudiate. Think of these four “Rs” as tributaries of denial. We see this word used when we walk down the Hall of Faith in Hebrews and read Big Mo’s plaque. “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused (Gr. αρνεομαι) to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter” (Heb 11:24). He renounced his royal connection in order to lead God’s people to freedom.

Later in this same letter to Timothy, we read how lazy slacker who fails to provide for his own family “has denied (Gr. αρνεομαι) the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1Tim 5:8). In other words, if someone so self-absorbed that he refuses to care for those God has put under his care, that’s proof he’s never tasted the grace of Jesus in the first place. He’s renounced his faith in a very practical way.

But is there a better place to check out rejection of Jesus than Peter’s denial of our Lord in the early morning hours of Good Friday? Each one of Jesus’ biblical biographers use αρνεομαι when describing the moments when the apostle called the Rock crumbled when questioned by a middle school girl (Mt 26:70, 72; Mk 14:68, 70; Lk 22:57; Jn 18:25, 27). He didn’t just do it once. Not just twice. He went for the triple crown of denial. The rooster crowed when Pete chickened out. 

In one of the most amazing examples of mercy you’ll find anywhere, we later see the resurrected Jesus lovingly restoring the fallen leader of the disciples. Who would have blamed Christ for taking Pete to the woodshed, chewing his apostolic tail, and personally kicking him to the eternal curb? But that’s exactly what did NOT happen. 

Strolling along the beach of the Sea of Galilee, the Lord restores a repentant Rocky (Jn 21:15-19). Matching the same number of denials, Jesus asks Peter if he truly loves Him. Three times the broken apostle says he truly does. Three times our Savior showers him with grace and puts Pete back in the game.

This means there is forgiveness for short term seasons of rejecting Jesus. I mean, if Christ can bring back a three-time denier like Peter, what kind of mercy is there for you and me? The risen Carpenter/Rabbi didn’t stop there. He transforms this cowardly three-time denier into the brave leader who will stare down the Sanhedrin! 

What have you said and done that makes you think you’re disqualified from His love? If you’re like me (hopefully you’re not but probably you are), there have been those times you’ve punked out during a conversation when people are trashing those goofy Jesus Freaks. Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Taken the t-shirt to Goodwill. Whatever you’ve done, I’m pretty sure you haven’t denied personally Christ in His physical presence three times in 15 minutes. 

If and when we reject Jesus, there’s just one thing left to do. Repent. Make a 180. Turn back to Him. He’s right behind you. He’s waiting for you. If or when you ever do deny Jesus, repent and ask for His forgiveness. It’s NEVER too late on this side of eternity to return to Him. Rejection. Repentance. Restoration. Do not pass “Go.” Do not collect $200. Do it now.

So Rocky’s rejection is NOT what Paul is talking about here. The apostle writes about those who spend their entire lives declining God’s free gift of salvation. Jesus tells His Twelve, “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies (Gr. αρνεομαι) Me before men, I also will deny (Gr. αρνεομαι) before My Father who is in heaven” (Mt 10:32-33). Dr. Luke records a similar warning using very similar language (Lk 12:8-9). Can you imagine something more terrifying? I can’t deny Jesus my entire life and expect Him to vouch for me when I meet His Dad. 

Over and over and over, Jesus plants warning signs on the banks of denial. It’s His big close to the Sermon on the Mount. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven…And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Mt 7:21, 23). Check out the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mt 25:1-13). Now flip over to the Parable of Narrow Door (Lk 13:22-29).

And we don’t just read these warnings in the Gospels. Paul tells Titus to look out for anyone who’s all talk and no action when it comes to following Jesus (Titus 1:16). Christ’s best friend John wants us to keep our distance from liars “who denies (Gr. αρνεομαι) that Jesus is the Christ. No one who denies (Gr. αρνεομαι) the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (1Jn 2:22-23). And who better to listen to on the subject that Peter (2Pet 2:1).

Don’t make the mistake of thinking Jesus makes a single invitation of salvation to each one of us. Yes, it IS a limited time offer only because it’s limited to the time we spend above dirt. God pursues us our entire lives. Chases us. Hunts us down. The English poet Francis Thompson referred to our relentless Redeemer as the Hound of Heaven. 

It turns out God is the ultimate Seeker. King David wrote a song all about how there’s no escaping our Savior’s never-ending pursuit (Ps 139:1-8). Jesus says He won’t rest if just one runaway sheep from His flock of 100 is on the loose (Mt 18:12). And He doesn’t chase us down to hurt us. Or in the words of David, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Ps 23:6). We’re chased by grace in order to save us from ourselves.

Despite being relentlessly and lovingly pursued our entire lives, many of us make a career of rejecting Jesus. The result is not good. Not good at all. “If we deny Him, He will also deny us” (v12). Our lifetime of denial ultimately leads an eternity of His denial. Here’s the deal. We may think there’s always time left to turn back to Jesus. But the bottom line is we really don’t know how many ticks are left on our clock. Could be a decade. Could be a year. Could be a month. Could be a week. I think you get my point. 

That’s exactly what Paul is trying to get across. So he plants a warning sign on the banks of denial. And you thought killer crocs were the problem.

Hot Pursuit

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1Tim 6:11).

A police cruiser races down the interstate with siren blaring and blue lights flashing. A linebacker sprints toward the ballcarrier breaking down the field. A hungry cheetah flies across the savannah toward its prey. Each one of them totally focused. Each one undistracted. Each one in hot pursuit.

In this letter to the young pastor of the Ephesian church, Paul encourages Timothy to stop chasing stuff that tears you down and start chasing stuff that builds you up! “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (v11). Quit wasting your time with things that waste your life. Start chasing after things that really matter. Put the hammer down! Be in hot pursuit!

Getting the church of Ephesus back on track is priority one for Pastor Tim. A team of spiritual con artists weaseled their way into the congregation and done all sorts of damage (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3). Paul did what he could to straighten things out at this once proud church, kicking two of the ringleaders to the curb (1Tim 1:20). Now on divine assignment up the road in Macedonia, he’s handed the keys to his protege Timothy (1Tim 1:3). A key to getting the church out of the ditch and back on the road is for Tim to be personally in hot pursuit of the things of God.

It’s at this point that Paul gets personal. “But as for you, O man of God” (v11). I’m talking to you, Tim. Yes, you. Not the entire church. Just you. Y. O. U. It’s as if the apostle wants his spiritual son to look him in right the eyes and pay full attention. By the way, the phrase “man of God” only appears twice in the entire New Testament. Both are by Paul and both are in his letters to Tim. In the sequel to this epistle, the apostle writes how God personally inspires Scripture so “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (1Tim 3:16-17). There are times in our relationships when we need someone’s total attention. Are you listening? I mean REALLY listening? Get it. Got it. Good.

Step one is to stop doing stuff that does damage. “Flee these things” (v11). Paul uses a a Greek word (Gr. pheugo) which means to quickly escape danger, run away, or take flight to seek safety. An angel tipped off Jesus’ dad Joe that King Herod had put a hit on his Son and told the carpenter to “flee (Gr. pheugo) to Egypt until I tell you” (Mt 2:13). Remember when Christ chased the demons out two dudes living in the graveyard and puts them in a herd of pigs and how the pig farmers “fled (Gr. pheugo)” and beat feet for the village (Mt 8:33)? 

Just what exactly are “these things” we’re to escape? A quick review. “Conceit” and “an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth” (1Tim 6:4-5). It’s thinking that religion is a get-rich-quick scheme (1Tim 6:5). Specifically, it’s “the love of money” which causes all sorts of human root rot and can draw people further away from Jesus (1Tim 6:10).

A follower of Jesus makes sure to put all of this garbage in his rearview mirror. When folks in Corinth thought they could play fast and loose with their libidos, Paul told them, “Flee (Gr. pheugo) sexual immorality” (1Cor 6:18). Can we talk? We can’t simply manage our destructive desires. I can’t store my harmful habits in the closet, use them occasionally and expect to truly grow in Christ. I can’t play footsie with sin. I’ve got hate it, kill it, and run from it…as fast as my little tootsies will carry me! Take a lesson from Joseph. When his boss’ desperate housewife put the move on him, he hightailed it out of the house in his tighty whities (Gen 39:12). Now THAT’S what I call some serious fleeing!

Now that your sprinting from sin, you need a target. Don’t just run randomly away from what ruins you. “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (v11). Paul doesn’t tell Tim to swing by a few of these good things when he gets a chance. The apostle commands him to do it in a New York minute. He uses the Greek verb dioko, which paints a picture of someone press forward quickly, or running after something with great intensity. It’s a chase with the purpose of catching. The relentlessly hunt for an object. 

Writers of the NT actually use this word in a negative sense more often than not. As a matter of fact, it’s how the apostle formerly known as Saul described his search-and-destroy mission for the followers of Jesus. “I persecuted (Gr. dioko) this Way to death” (Acts 22:4). When the resurrected Jesus blindsided the man from Tarsus outside of Damascus, He wanted to know, “Saul, Saul, what are you persecuting (Gr. dioko) Me?” (Acts 22:7). Paul told King Agrippa he hunted down disciples anywhere and everywhere and “persecuted (Gr. dioko) them even to foreign cities” (Acts 26:11). He was in hot pursuit of Christ’s disciples.

Instead, let’s relentlessly run after “righteousness, godliness, faith, steadfastness, gentleness” (v11). 

So the question is, am I pursuing the things of God with the same veracity and intensity as Saul hunted and hounded first century Christians? Am I willing to let nothing get in my way in order to obtain the stuff on this list? Like a defensive end rushing the passer on third and long, it’s time to pin your ears back. Don’t worry about a screen pass. Don’t concern yourself with the draw. Just get to the QB with great prejudice. Cut it loose. Nothing else matters. Or as Paul told his friends in Philippi, “I press on (Gr. dioko) toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14). Let’s be in hot pursuit of our Savior!

Let’s take a quick look at our targets. “Righteousness” (v11) is doing what is right to both God and people. It places an emphasis on action. Next up is “godliness” (v11), a word Paul uses a grand total of eight times in this little letter alone. It’s a compound word that literally means “good worship.” It describes our reverence for God expressed in our behavior. We’re to follow hard after “faith” (v11). This is placing total trust in Jesus alone as the source of salvation. He lived the perfect life I should have lived, died the death I should have died, and rose to new life I don’t deserve. It’s what Luther called “The Great Exchange.” Our rebellion and defiance for His perfection and obedience (2Cor 5:21).

Paul calls us to run hard after “love” (v11). This isn’t just a warm fuzzy feeling but actual sacrificial love-in-action. Remember, love is a verb. Let’s sprint hard toward “steadfastness” (v11). This is hanging tough when things get hard. When the going gets tough, the tough IN CHRIST get going. God gives us the power to stand strong in tough times. Last but certainly not least is “gentleness” (v11). This is more than simply not being a grouch. We’re to pursue  composure, a calm disposition, and a soothing manner. Ancient writers used this term to describe taming wild animals. As followers of Jesus, we’re not to throw gasoline on the fire. Instead, He calls us to be firehoses of His grace and peace.

Pretty simple actually. Step one, quit jacking around with the things that jack you up. Come on. You know what they are. Is it a TV show? A website? An app? A substance? A person? Lace up your sneakers and run like the wind out of there! Now make a beeline for best God has for you. Be rapidly intentional. This is certainly no trivial pursuit. Stop chasing stuff that tears you down and start chasing stuff that builds you up! Picture yourself as a cop on a high speed chase. A linebacker bearing down on a running back. A big cat about to pounce on its prey. Let’s be in hot pursuit!

In Hot Pursuit

“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” (Philippians 3:12).

“Who are those guys?!?” No matter what Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid tried to do, they couldn’t shake the posse on their tail. It’s one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite movies. Lawman Joe Lefors and a native American tracker named Lord Baltimore are in hot pursuit. They’re relentless. They’re aggressive. Nothing will stop them. A few centuries before Paul Newman and Robert Redford made the the Hole and the Wall Gang a household name, a man named Paul spent his life in hot pursuit. In his younger days, his name was Saul and he hunted down Jesus’ followers to arrest and kill them. After his conversion, he used that same intensity to chase after Jesus Himself to experience a deeper relationship with Him. Funny thing. The apostle puts the pedal to the metal to chase after the Savior who hunted him down in the first place. Paul is in hot pursuit because he’s been hotly pursued.

Let’s step back and get a little perspective to what’s happening here. A quick check of the calendar tells us it’s around 61-62 AD. The Apostle Paul is in Caesar’s Supermax in Rome waiting for the emperor to hear his appeal. He fires off a letter to some of his favorite people on the planet, a group of believers in the Macedonian seaport of Philippi. Paul and his travel team first visited the city about ten years back. They brought the amazing message of Jesus to Philippi and things got crazy. God used the man from Tarsus and his crew to turn the joint upside down. It would be very easy for these Philippian friends to put Paul on a pedestal. And why not? The dude sure seems to have his stuff together. Is there any doubt he has everything figured out? In the words of the great theologian Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend!” The apostle lets these disciples know in no uncertain terms that the only thing he’s really figured out is he’s desperate for more of Jesus. He’s anything but cocky. He’s far from finished. He’s simply a beggar who’s been shown where to find the Bread. 

Paul has just written how he wasted a lot of his life piling up accomplishments and awards for his religious resume (Phil 3:4-6). It turns out God wasn’t going to be impressed one stinking bit by his credentials. No matter how many trophies he put on the shelf or how many plaques he hung on the wall, it wasn’t going to be enough. As a matter of fact, they were no better than a big steaming pile compared to a personal relationship with Jesus (Phil 3:7-8). As a result, the apostle chucks it all in order to know Jesus and truly experience all that He has accomplished on his behalf. It’s not about Paul’s feeble attempt at self-salvation through his own goodness but Jesus’ complete and total perfection (Phil 3:9). The apostle puts the hammer down and races after Christ, “the power of His resurrection” (Phil 3:10), and the “resurrection from the dead” (Phil 3:11). He’s not there yet. Not even close. But he’s headed in the right direction in a very big hurry. He’s in hot pursuit of Jesus and His resurrection.

You’d think if Jesus tapped you on the shoulder as the primo apostle to non-Jews around the world, you’d have things all buttoned up and nailed down. Not our man Paul. “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect” (v12). The deeper he gets in his relationship with Christ, the more he realizes he’s just in the kiddie pool. He doesn’t have it all figured out. As a matter of fact, a quick look at Paul’s life in Scripture reveals how his humility and desperation grow through the years. In one of his letters to the Corinthian church written around 55 AD, he describes himself as the “least of the apostles” (1Cor 15:9). A few years later (probably 61 AD), he demotes himself to the Ephesians as the “least of all the saints” (Eph 3:8). And just a couple of years later (circa 63 AD), Paul puts himself at the back of a very long line. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1Tim 1:15). 

Let’s review Paul’s journey. First, he’s least of the apostles. Then least of of the saints. Finally, chief of sinners. I don’t know about you, but shouldn’t he be moving in the opposite direction? But it actually makes perfect sense. The more he grows in his relationship with Jesus, the more he realizes his desperation. The more it becomes glaringly apparent he has not “already obtained this” (v12). The more is crystal clear he’s not “already perfect” (v12). Becoming more spiritually mature is actually acknowledging our absolute and utter need for more of Jesus each and every moment of each and every day. How about you? Do you think you’ve got it figured out? Do you believe you’ve got your stuff in one bag with a handy twist tie? Just stop it. Stop trying to fool people into thinking you’ve got it all together! If Paul didn’t, who in the heck do you think you are?!? For Pete’s sake, the dude wrote most of the New Testament. People don’t need you to stand there with an “S” on your chest and your cape blowing in the wind for Jesus. They need to know you struggle just like they do. The only difference is an eternity changing relationship with the resurrected Rabbi from Nazareth.

The more he understands his own great need, Paul wastes no time hightailing after it. “I press on to make it my own” (v12). He uses a Greek verb (Gr. dioko) that means to run after, pursue, or chase after something. This is no casual stroll down the primrose path. This is an all out sprint. The term paints a picture of relentlessness, intensity, singular focus, and aggression. It’s such a power-packed word that a couple of Gospel writers use it when talking about the intense persecution (Mt 23:34; Jn 5:16). Earlier in his life, Paul was in hot pursuit of Jesus and His followers. In fact, when the risen Christ blindsided the apostle formerly known as Saul outside Damascus, He asked him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting (Gr. dioko) Me?” (Acts 9:4). The former Pharisee pulled no punches in his hunting down of Christ’s disciples. “I persecuted (Gr. dioko) this Way to the death” (Acts 22:4). But after his initial encounter with Jesus, everything changed. Paul is still intensely chasing, but now it’s after more of Christ, more of His grace, more of His mercy, more of His love. He’s in hot pursuit.

The apostle’s relentless quest is all “because Christ Jesus has made me His own” (v12). Paul belongs to the Lord because our Savior hunted him down first. An English poet by the name of Francis Thompson wrote a little called “The Hound of Heaven.” It’s all about God’s unrelenting hunt to find and save the lost. He unleashes His pack of bloodhounds to chase you and me down. There’s no escaping Him. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. Jesus caught up with Paul just before he took the exit for Damascus. Christ got a grip on him and never let him go. Has our Savior made you His own? If so, take a tip from the apostle. Paul is in hot pursuit because he’s been hotly pursued. Has Christ not caught up with you? If not, you may want to take a peek over your shoulder. The Hound of Heaven is hot pursuit.