What’s the Prize? – July 26, 2026
Deuteronomy 31:1-8, Philippians 3:1-16
July 26, 2026
So, this year the United States hosted the World Cup. And if you don’t know it, the World Cup is Soccer. Or as the rest of the world calls it, “Football!” And the funny thing is, the World Cup is not like the “World Series” in baseball. The “World” Series is only played – and won by teams in this country! (Except for those pesky Blue Jays!) But no! In soccer, the World Cup really means the World!
And it’s big! And it’s good to see people following “soccer” in this country – after football, baseball, hockey, and basketball. It’s good to see it, because Soccer is, by far, the most popular sport in the world! And the only other sport that even comes close to it in popularity is… (Who knows?) Cricket!
The other thing about the World Cup – which makes it so big – is that it’s not city teams that compete. It’s not Manchester vs Liverpool! It’s whole countries’ teams. This year the final was Spain vs Argentina. So when a team wins, the whole country celebrates. This time around, it’s Spain! And maybe you saw some of the celebrations in that country!
So, with all its popularity and world-wide participation, one could argue that the World Cup is the biggest prize in all of sports! And while you’re thinking about that crazy statement, consider this. Like any sports championship, it’s not just about the prize at the end It’s about the competition throughout the season. It’s about following your team through the ups and downs, the winning streaks, and the losing streaks. It’s the injuries, the trades, the records, and the milestones. That’s why true fans love their sports!
But you know, some people aren’t up for following a team all season long. One time I heard somebody say, “Hey, I’m there at the end! I’ll watch the championship game, and the parade, and all the celebration. I just can’t be there through an entire season.” And I get that. Different people have different interests in this life. And some people aren’t up for the whole thing.
Well, sometimes the athletes themselves aren’t up for the whole thing! Do you know the name Rosie Ruiz? In 1980, Rosie Ruiz won the women’s title at the Boston Marathon, with one of the fastest times ever for a woman! 2:31:56 But, she only held that title for 8 days! That’s because, in those days, they didn’t have all the monitoring and all the cameras on the course like they do now. And it was eventually discovered that Rosie had taken the subway for a good part of the race. But at the end, she stood there on the podium, with the winner’s prize! And her picture was in the paper!
Well, maybe Rosie was inspired by what happened at the Munich Olympics in 1972. That was the year, Frank Shorter, of the United States, won the Marathon. Only you wouldn’t have known it from the scene that took place at the end of the race. Because, just before Shorter came into the stadium to take the final lap around the track, a German student named Nordbert Sudhaus ran into the stadium, dressed in US team colors, and acted like one of the runners. And the crowd cheered him all the way to the end! I saw that race! And thankfully, the TV broadcaster recognized right away what was happening. It was Jim McKay! Remember him? I remember him shouting “Wait! This is an imposter!” “This guy’s not one of runners!” And they knew it right away. But poor Frank Shorter didn’t get the cheers he deserved for winning the Olympic Marathon!
Well, maybe both of those people were inspired by a man named Fred Lorz. I didn’t know this story. But Fred Lorz “won” the marathon in the St. Louis Olympics way back in 1904. The only thing was, he rode in a car for most of the race! He was discovered in minutes at the end, but not before getting his picture taken with the daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt! I guess to his credit, Lorz actually did run the first 9 miles of the race! But then he got in the car and rode for 11 miles – until the car broke down, and he got out and ran the rest of the way. That’s pretty bold! At least Rosie took the subway! But yeah, sometimes the athletes themselves aren’t up for the whole thing!
The thing is, they all wanted the prize without the perseverance! And I say all of that today, because, if you think about it, aren’t there people who treat their faith the same way? They want the prize without the perseverance. They’re great with the end! They’re great with the “going to Heaven” part of it. (Or at least the “not going to hell” part!) But they don’t want to deal with the everyday struggle of the life of faith. “I like the victory at the end, and the ‘meeting Jesus,’ and all the glory of it, but I’m just not up for all of the daily grind of living the faith.” Oh, they may not say it like that, but you see it in the way they live! And then they wonder why their faith seems not to be helping them very much.
Well, that’s not how Paul felt about it. He always talked about the day to day living of the faith. To him, that was the most important part! He told the Philippians, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul “pressed on” – every day – knowing that the finish line was ahead. And he didn’t take the subway!
I love how he gave us his own personal perspective here. He told the Philippians that he hadn’t “arrived” yet. He was still “running the race.” For him, the Christian life was all about “pressing on!” “Continuing forward!” As he told the Hebrews, it’s about “Running with perseverance the race set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfector of our faith.”
So, I’m asking you today, “What’s the prize?” Because, for Christians, the prize isn’t merely the “going to heaven at the end” part. Ultimately, the prize is knowing Jesus himself! That’s what Paul’s telling us here. He’s not simply longing for a reward. He’s longing to know better the one he met on that road to Damascus. And he’s saying that the “upward call” is about just that – for all of us! The “upward call” is the call to know Jesus. It’s not just “Keep going in the faith, because ultimately you’ll win – and you’ll get to heaven.” It’s “Keep running the race, because the one waiting for you at the finish line is the one that’s been with you all along!”
“Perseverance,” was a big word for Paul! And for him, perseverance leads to and is part of the prize! The “upward call” is staying the course, and looking to Jesus. And I know, that’s not always easy. Life can be tough! And you didn’t have to tell Paul that! He was in prison as he was writing this! And as I’ve said before, prisons in those days weren’t what they are today! There were no exercise yards, no gyms, no cable TV, no internet, and no free access to the legal system! Prisons were terrible places. And from that prison, from that awful place, Paul was telling the people – and us – about perseverance!
Maybe you remember what he wrote to the Romans. He wrote, “We rejoice in our suffering!” “Oh really, Paul?” “Yes! We do rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us.” (Romans 5:1-5) That’s why Paul could “keep running the race.” He knew that even the difficult miles were accomplishing something! God was using every step to shape him into the likeness of Christ!
That’s true for all of us. And yes, some of us are on a smooth stretch of the course. Others are climbing a steep hill. Some are tired. Some are discouraged. Some have “hit the wall” as runners call it. But where ever you are in the race, the message is the same. “Don’t give up!” “Press on!” “Keep your eyes on Jesus!” Because the “prize” isn’t simply getting to heaven someday. The prize is knowing Jesus more deeply every day – until that day we see him face to face.
So, press on toward the prize! And don’t take the subway – or the car!. Don’t look for shortcuts! Stay the course! And remember, the one who is waiting for you at the finish line is indeed the very one who has been with you every step of the way!
Prayer
Eternal God, help us to know beyond a doubt that you are with us in this great race of life. Give us the strength we need to “press on,” to persevere, and to have the hope we need to be encouraged in our faith, every day of our lives. For we pray in the name of the one who walks with us every day, Jesus our Lord, Amen.