Philippians 3:3-14

    "The high calling of GOD in Christ Jesus" is the call to the ultimate high of life, with the exception of salvation. There is a film about four expert kayakers running the rapids on one of Colorado's swiftest rivers entitled the "Ultimate High". At one place in the river the currents would pull the kayak and the kayaker down. When the kayaker finally found something solid on the river's bottom to shove off of the current brought him and the kayak to the surface of the water. This experience is the "Ultimate High" because it is the most thrilling experience that a kayaker can have. Out of the four kayakers in the film only one dared to go for the "Ultimate High." It was for this one moment in life that this young man had trained and practiced.

    The "mark for the prize of the high calling of GOD in Christ Jesus" is much higher than the "ultimate high" of kayaking or anything else in life. Paul's sole obsession in life was to obtain the prize of a resurrected life. He wasn't striving for the crown of a minister or martyr but he reached for the prize of life. Paul wanted to live his life to the fullest and he wanted to live his life for GOD. Paul reached for only the very best in life. Which was"the mark for the prize of the high calling of GOD in Christ Jesus."

WHY DO SOME MEN REACH FOR THE ULTIMATE HIGH IN LIFE?

    Why do some people seem to be constantly reaching for almost impossible heights in some field? Paul was the kind of individual who began reaching early in life. Philippians 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Paul had a great zeal and he continued to reach even after he was saved and saw the resurrected Christ.

    It was the call, the call of life, the high calling of GOD in Christ Jesus that made Paul strive so hard. This call was in addition to the call to salvation, the call to the ministry, and the call to special apostleship. It was GOD's call to a man who dared to live life to the fullest.

    The "ultimate high" is the ultimate call of the GOD of glory to man. Paul had already been saved and answered the call to the ministry. But there was something higher that he had not obtained. He had to answer that call or die trying. Philippians 3:12

WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE HIGH?

 

    The "ultimate high" of the Christian life is the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Paul is not talking about the resurrection of the dead saints at the second coming of Christ. But he was speaking of entering into a new phase of the Christian life through the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

    In almost every aspect of life there are different degrees. In the crafts there is the apprentice, the journeymen, and the master craftman. In the educational field there is the bachelor's, the master's, and the doctor's degree. Paul is talking about the highest degree that can be obtained in the Christian life and it’s not a PhD from a seminary. The child of God should never be satisfied with just being a babe in Christ, he is to reach for the heights of the Christian life.

     Many who reach the heights in the professional world, the sport's world, the educational world, and even the religious world never reach the real heights of life muchless the heights of the Christian life. Paul is talking about living life by the power that raised Jesus from the grave.

     In Philippians 3:10 Paul mentions the power of the resurrection of Christ. The greatest exhibition of the power of GOD was when Jesus arose from the grave. After Jesus was crucified they laid Him in a sealed vault which was guarded by soldiers. They thought they had seen the last of Him, after all He was dead. But early on Sunday morning the power of GOD entered that lifeless body and Christ arose. By the power of GOD He also ascended into heaven with a multitude of captives as He spoiled the satanic forces, and gave gifts unto men. Oh, the power of a resurrected life! This is the "ultimate high" that Paul is writing about. "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection..." Paul wanted to experience the power of His resurrection.

     He probably had this experience when he was stoned and left for dead. Maybe he was really dead and maybe this was the time that he was caught up into the third heaven. Whether this all happened then or not, Paul was as good as dead when he was stoned. Those religious leaders thought they had seen the last of Paul. Sometime after the stoning Paul got upon his feet and went on about GOD's business. It took the power of GOD, the power of the resurrection to make a man get up and go back to doing the same thing that he was stoned for. Paul achieved the highest degree possible in this life.

     Paul learned the power of the resurrection by experience. Many know about the resurrection of Christ. Many know about the power of His resurrection. But precious few know the experience of bursting out of their fleshly shells which hinder their lives. Few ever reach the mark in life when they die to themselves and begin living anew by the power that raised Jesus from the dead. The resurrection from the death of self is the "Ultimate High" in the Christian life.

HOW DOES ONE REACH THE ULTIMATE HIGH? Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

     There is only one way to reach the mark of the "ultimate high" and Paul was determined to do it. "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Only one thing would obtain it - death - the death of self, the death of Saul of Tarsus. Jesus had to suffer, die and be buried before He experienced the power of the resurrection. The only way to experience the "ultimate high" is to identify yourself with the sufferings, death, and burial of Christ. Paul suffered and died to self. One has to suffer and pay the price in order to reach this plateau in life. Paul then buried himself, he died to the past and then he buried the past. Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, He forgot he was a high born Jew. He gave it all up in order that he might obtain the resurrection of the dead.

     The prize of the resurrection from the dead is Jesus Christ, Himself. In verse 8 Paul speaks of winning Christ. Thus, Jesus Christ personally is the prize of life. The LORD told Abraham, "I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward." Abraham’s reward was not riches, servants, livestock, or even his son. The LORD was his prize. Since Abraham gave his all, his son, the LORD gave Abraham His only begotten Son. The ram caught in the ticket was Jesus Christ.

     Paul's loss was his gain. Paul lost it all in order to obtain the resurrection from the dead. But he gained much more. He gained Christ. The cost of the "ultimate high" is a bargain at any price.

     "The Hanging Tree" is a ballad about a man who was threatened by robbers. They tried to hang him because he would not give them his gold. Just before they hung him he give them his gold. He walked away from the hanging tree and immediately he found something better than gold. He found life! But he had to die to his desires before he found real life

WHEN DOES ONE REACH THE ULTIMATE HIGH?

    It usually happens during a severe crisis. It happens when everything in life seems utterly impossible. It happens when one feels like he is losing everything that means something to him.

    When one identifies himself with the suffering, the death, and burial of Jesus, he is reaching the point of a new beginning in life. The old life must end to make way for the spirit empowered life.

    Paul pressed toward this point in life. Paul's desire was to be conquered by Christ. Verse 12 Being conquered by Christ through the death of self brings the greatest freedom of all. You are not free until you are free from yourself. Some go through life trying to conquer GOD. We will never conquer GOD, but he will give Himself to us if we let Him conquer us. This frees man from that empty shell that he lives in when he experiences the power of the resurrection. It frees him from the bitter experiences and sufferings of the past.

    The child of GOD should reach for the Prize of the High Calling of GOD in Christ Jesus. As Paul we are to "press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of GOD in Christ Jesus."

    GOD wants all to experience the "ultimate high" in life, but first He wants men to have the greatest experience of all - the saving power of Jesus Christ. Have you experienced the grace of GOD in your own personal life?