What would you say, if someone asked you to summarize your entire life and ministry? How would you express your one passion? What is the ‘one thing’ you do? There are many ministry callings in the service of the church, represented by each member. The saints are zealous for a multiplicity of passions and ambitions reflecting the diversity of the body of Christ.

Many of these saints even join together out of a common sense of calling, in pursuit of a united spiritual vocation. Members serve together carrying for the sick in our body. Saints join in partnership to care for abused members in the church. Believers in Jesus unite together to serve children, youth, young adults, mature adults, men's groups, women's groups, and the elderly in nursing homes.

The church cares for widows and orphans in their distress, supports missionaries and pastors overseas and abroad, and trains leaders for the offices of deacon, elder, and pastor. Not everyone in the body can give 100% to every calling, and yet, somehow in God's providential working, many callings of his people meet the many needs of his children for Christ's glory.

The apostle Paul reminds the church that the Spirit gives each member the grace to fulfill particular callings and gifts suited to each ministry to serve the body (Romans 12; 2 Corinthians 8 - 9). These grace-gifts allow believers to live out of grace and the liberty of his or her conscience to serve as he or she desires and even join together in common callings. So, how do these individuated callings all work together humbly and graciously in view of the greater glory of Christ? Is there one thing that serves as the overarching umbrella for the many things the church is committed to accomplishing?

I believe the apostle Paul, in Philippians 3:13-16. provides the secret unifying theme. He writes, "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained."

The apostle summarizes the character of mature thinking with this phrase: One thing I do. And by the way, in verse 17, the apostle calls believers in Jesus to join in imitating him in imbibing his ministry mindset.

So, what is it? One thing I do: press toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. That's the one thing that carries all the freight of the sub-callings in the life and ministry of every believer in the church. But what is the upward call? I would suggest this upward call in Christ is summarized by Paul in the surrounding verses.

The upward call in Christ involves "faith in Christ," that is "the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (Phil. 3:9). This means, according to Paul, that the faith that receives God's righteousness in Christ counts all other things "loss" and "rubbish" (Phil. 3:8). There will be a temptation to put weight upon our accomplishments and efforts.

Paul reminds us that looking to Christ means always "forgetting what lies behind" and pressing on toward the call of God in Christ. In short, the one thing I do is nothing less and nothing more than the gospel call of God in Christ Jesus, summarized by the faith that receives God's righteousness for us in Christ (3:9).

Furthermore, Paul warns the Philippian church, as well as you and I, that there are those who "walk as enemies of the cross of Christ" (Phil. 3:18). These enemies are characterized in terms of pursuing destructive ends, idolatrizing their bellies or sensual appetites, and glorying in their shame (Phil. 3:19).

In short, the enemies of the cross build their lives on the temporal solutions of this world that are destined to pass away. Paul adds that contrary to the enemies of the cross who seek salvation plans from destructive instruments, those who have received God's righteousness through faith in Christ are citizens of heaven, look towards the Saviorship of Jesus, and await the transformation of their bodies to be like his glorious body (Phil. 3:20-21). 

So, pulling these threads together, let's be encouraged that each member serves sub-callings by the grace and desire that the Spirit supplies. These sub-callings provide God-given means for caring one another's burdens in this life. God cares about our temporal burdens, sufferings, and trials. He gives each member gifts and callings to care for these.

Yet, these earthly trials and sufferings are temporal. Praise God that while God uses them to sanctify and train his people, they are passing away, for they are momentary afflictions (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). But there is one thing I do: I keep forgetting what lies behind (particularly those efforts of mine that tempt me to ascertain my identity, anchor my trust, and secure my pride) and reach forward by faith to the gracious call of God for me in Christ, the Christ who is my righteous standing before God.

I pursue this one thing first, due to the nature of God's heavenly call in Christ summarized in the gospel; and secondly, in view of the threat of the enemies of the cross that place their salvation in temporal solutions relegated to this passing world. 

So, maybe you are asking, "What motivated you to write with this perspective from Philippians 3?" Well, I'll tell you. I recently sat with a member of our body while he looked adoringly, tenderly, and lovingly upon his loved one in a hospital bed while her body struggled to keep living.

The computers and machines surrounding her hospital bed kept her breathing, living minute by minute. There was only one source of encouragement for all three souls in that room - the bread of heaven, the voice of the Shepherd's words from heaven. We read from Psalm 23, John 10:27-30, and John 14:1-6. When Jesus spoke as the Shepherd in these passages, we read the name of Jesus and when Jesus' promises were given to his sheep, we read our names.

The Shepherd's voice from heaven through His gospel-word of promise is the only saving, comforting, encouraging, and assuring word for our dying selves. This loving husband then quietly whispered to me that when it all comes down to it, this gospel-word is the only word that matters for life and death. He told me that all earthly sufferings and trials and joys are temporary and will be forgotten and consequently, the gospel is the only thing that matters when it comes to a soul passing through death into the life to come.

He reminded me that many churches get lost prioritizing messages and service projects that are temporary and earth-bound. He emphasized that there is only one thing that matters, preparing the soul for eternal life. Therefore, there is only one calling: keep preaching the gospel, continue to proclaim Jesus. 

I know that this gospel-exhortation given to me from two OBC members - her husband speaking softly; his wife suffering quietly - in that hospital room would resonate with the apostle Paul.

There is only one thing I do. Upon leaving the hospital, I told one of our deacons that I wish every member of our church could sit at the bedside of a loved one who was waiting for Jesus to welcome him or her to heaven. It is joyful and sorrowful at the same time. It is also reorienting, a reminder, yes of the importance of our personal callings, our partnership-ministries, but only in so much as they keep the main thing the main thing; the one thing I do, the one thing I do.

Our best joys and worst trials in this life are only side-shows seen from the sides of our little car windows as we drive down the road of life, while our cars are pointed toward the end of our journey, the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Glance out the side windows, take note of and serve in the joys and trials along the side of the road, but let's pray that we keep our gaze fixed in front of us, looking out the windshield at only one thing: Jesus. It is only our union with Jesus that matters when death's doors are opening to the life to come and our friends and family are saying goodbye.