Philippians 3:4-16 - Part 2 - I Want To Know You
Introduction
Last week we looked at how Paul had attained the height of self-righteousness (3:4-6)
Ø Works righteousness (1-3)
Ø The Example (4-6)
Then Paul talked about Faith Righteousness (3:7-11)
Ø Paul’s Loses (3:7)
Ø Paul’s Gains (3:8-11)
This week I want to talk about “Knowing Christ”
#1 The Past of Knowing Christ
#2 The Present of Knowing Christ
#3 The Future of Knowing Christ
I. The Past Of Knowing Christ—(3:7-8)
A. Paul Lost His Religion To Gain Christ—He Counted All Things Loss For Christ (3:7-8)
1. A once for all experience
2. Matthew 7:14—"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
-He was on that wide gate that lead to destruction—Eternal Punishment
-Building his life on Sand—Matthew 7:26
-And if Paul would have died he would have stood before the Lord and said, `Lord, Lord, was I not circumcised the eight day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, concerning the law a Pharisee, concerning righteousness which is in the law, blameless? Jesus would have said, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me’!
A Cathedral in Germany displays and engraving which says,
“Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us:
‘You call me Master and obey me not. You call me light and see me not. You call me the way and walk me not. You call me life and don’t live with me. You call me wise and follow me not. You call me fair and love me not. You call me rich and ask me not. You call me eternal and seek me not. If I condemn you, blame me not.’”
It’s easy to say, ‘I love you Lord. He’s so good!” But how does you love for Him affect the way you live?
Is Jesus going to say that to you?
Are you building your life on sand or the Solid Rock?
When you stand before Jesus, is He going to be your Judge, or Savior? Condemn you, or welcome you?
It’s your choice!
3. Paul gave up all his religious treasure for the treasure of knowing Christ deeply and intimately.
That is the essence of Salvation—an exchange of something worthless for something valuable.
Jesus illustrated the exchange in this way: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, “who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:44-46 NKJV).
Those two men found something of a far greater value than anything they owned. They sold all they thought was valuable for what was truly valuable. Jesus Christ is our treasure & our pearl—He became the supreme object of our affections.
Is that true of you? Is there anything in your life that competes with Christ? Is there anything in the world that capture your allegiance, devotion, and love more that Him? Do you still desire to know Him as you did when you were first saved?
If not, you have compromised your relationship with Him and are dallying with the trash of the world.
John F. MacArthur, The Power of Integrity, Crossway Books; p.17,18
4. Christ Wants Intimate Communion With You Through Prayer & Faithful Study of & Obedience to God’s Word.
5. Philippians 1:21—Paul made a total commitment to follow Jesus Christ
— After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." (Luke 5:27 NKJV)
Jesus says to you today, “FOLLOW ME!”
WHO ARE YOU GOING TO FOLLOW WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS CLASS TODAY?
B. Paul Wanted To Be Found In-Christ—Not Paul’s Righteousness—But God’s Righteousness (3:9)
To know Christ is to have His righteousness, His Holiness, and His virtues imputed to us, which makes us right before God.
1. When Paul trusted Christ, he lost his own self-righteousness-and gained the righteousness of Christ
2. Read, Romans 3:23-26—And Zechariah 3:1-5—Give illustration of Son who’s dad was a judge
A. Justification
1. Two Aspects of Justification— Negative—Positive—Like a coin having two sides
a. Negative—Forgiveness—“to forgive out of grace”—“to let go”, or “send away”
God removes the charges that were held against the sinner—He cancelled our debt (Col. 2:13)
All sins, past, present & future have been forgiven—never to be brought up again (Ps. 103:12)
b. Positive—to justify is to declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus Christ
The sinner is forgiven and no longer separated from God—Imputed Righteousness
Acts 13:39 . . . Romans 4:6-7 . . . 2Corinthians 5:19, 21
2. Romans 3:24—Justification is given by God’s grace
3. Romans 4:2; 5:1—Takes place the moment the individual has faith in Christ
4. Romans 5:9—It is by Christ’ blood
5. Romans 4:5—It is apart from any works—This means justification is by faith alone Romans 5:1
6. John 6:35—Jesus came to fill our spiritual hunger
7. John 7:37-38—And to satisfy our spiritual thirst—He came to give us life-Here & Eternal
8. John 11:26—The person who trusts in Him and His atoning sacrifice will never die
9. 1John 5:12—But will enjoy the privilege of unbroken fellowship—He who has the Son has life
Praise be…To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood . . . "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!" "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!" (Revelation 1:5; 5:12-13 NKJV)
II. The Present Of Knowing Christ—(3:10-11)
A. Paul Wanted To Know Christ (3:10)
1. Paul's major passion was, to get more knowledge of Christ by experience—v.10
a. A true Christians does not sit around & do nothing after salvation
b. The Christian must have a heart that wants to grow in grace & knowledge—being about his Father business—#2Peter 3:18; Luke 2:49
c. The time is short—Ephesians 5:15-16
d. Jeremiah 29:13—And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
God wants your entire heart-100%
e. Luke 11:9-10—Ask it will be given to you, Seek you will find, Knock it will be opened to you
2. The power of his resurrection—v.10
While having Christ’s righteousness frees us from the penalty of sin, we are still subject to the control of sin—Illustration of empty bottle still stinking
Christ resurrection demonstrated the extent of His power
– Displaying His authority over both the physical world & the spiritual world
– Paul wanted to experience this power—To overcome sin
Christ resurrection power deals with sin in two ways:
a. At Salvation—We were buried with Christ in His death, and we rose with Him to “walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).
b. In Daily Life—We need His strength to serve Him faithfully, to conquer temptation, to overcome trials, and to witness boldly.
This will only happen as we seek to build our relationship with Christ, tapping into His might to have victory over sin.
Only He “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).
3. The fellowship of His sufferings—v.10
– The true test of your character is your response to the severest times of suffering and persecution
– Getting angry & blaming God, or compromising your faith causes you to miss out on the richest fellowship available to you.
– You need to view your sufferings as opportunities to be blessed by Christ as you find comfort in His fellowship
a. Do you desire to live a godly life? 2Timothy 3:12; 1Peter 4:12-16-do not think it strange
b. Paul says suffering for Christ is a gift—Philippians 1:29; This was an honor to Paul Colossians 1:24
4. Being conformed to His death—v.10
a. Means to become dead to sin, selfishness—Being eager to be a blessing to others
b. Dying daily to yourself—The will of the Father—Matthew 16:24
c. Jesus was totally committed to the will of the Father—we to must be totally committed to our Father
5. The Cost Of Discipleship—We must strive to enter through the narrow gate——Luke 13:24
a. The Word strive here is agonizomai-we get agonize.
b. Its not easy—Look at Luke 14:25-33
c. Matthew 8:22—The dead bury the dead—This was a term used for procrastination "Oh yes, I want to do it, but I'm not ready yet...But one of these days..."
d. I have fought the fight, kept the faith, finished the course
e. Proverbs 14:12—There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
f. Be a wise man—Building your life on the rock—Hearing the sayings of Christ—And doing them.
III. The Future of Knowing Christ—Aiming For Perfection—(3:11-14)
A. Paul Desired That Eternal Experience With His Lord (3:11)
1. If by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead – v.11
a. A reference to which accompanies the rapture of the church
1Thessalonians 4:13-17 . . . 1Corinthians 15:42-44 . . . Philippians 3:20-21
b. That day believers will have earthly bodies transformed into perfect eternal bodies – v.11
1Corinthians 15:42-44 . . . Philippians 3:20-21
c. That day will set in motion that day which will soon bring about the new heavens & earth – v.11
2Peter 3:10-13
B. Paul Aimed For Perfection (3:12-14)
Read the test v12-14
The Human Responsibility—Not ‘Once saved, always saved attitude’, or ‘I have fire insurance’
C. Paul says he is not perfect—v.12
1. We to will never be perfect in this life—Psalm 51:1-5 . . . 1John 1:8
2. But if the great apostle Paul who
-Wrote ¾ of the N.T.
-Taught by the Lord Himself
-Taken up into the third heavens
-& Seeks for perfection
-How much more should we?
D. Paul’s Formula for life.
1. To lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me—v.12
a. When Jesus got a-hold of you, He had a purpose in mind for your life.
1) Ephesians 2:10—You are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus
2) He desires to bring about changes in your life
3) Desiring to work through your life—Touching the lives of others
4) And ultimately to be with Him in paradise—That where I am you may be also-John 14:3
b. Romans 8:29—Paul says, his pursuit or goal is to be like Jesus Christ
c. What are you pursuing after today? — When you wake up in the morning, what gets you going?
E. How did Paul seek to do this? He had direction—He was running a race—v.13
1. But one thing I do—Ps.27:4; Jn. 9:25; Mk. 10:21; Lk. 10:42
– Too many Christians are involved with “many things” – The secret of progress is ONE THING
2. Forgetting those things which are behind—v.13
3. Reaching forward to those things which are ahead—v.13
– Lit.-Stretching forward—A runner leaning forward as he runs, reaching for the goal
a. The runner does not look back—You will lose direction—Remember Lot’s wife—Lk.17:32
– Don’t live in the success of the past—Or dwell on your failures—when you fall, get up 1Jn 1:7
– Don’t seek to live for yesterday—Live for eternity!
b. Hebrews 12:1-2—The runner must have his eyes fixed on the goal—Jesus Christ—Eternal Life
c. This goal will be obtained by those who actually strive for it
F. The prize is given to those who press toward the goal (v.14)
The Goal—v.14
– Is fixing the attention on the race that is being run—Not looking Back—
— Hebrews 12:1-2—Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The Prize—v.14
– Is everlasting life by those who accept Christ by living faith—John 3:16
– Is given to those who press toward the goal—Keeping their mind on eternal things
— 2Corinthians 4:17-18—For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
– Is given to those who finish the race—
— 2 Timothy 4:7-8—I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
– Is given to those who do not break the rules—
— 2Timothy 2:5—And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
– Is given to those who practice rigid, self-control while training
— 1Corinthians 9:24-27—Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
– Is Given By Christ Himself
— Romans 14:10-12—For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
There Are Those Who Did Not Finish The Race
-(Lot-Genesis 19)—(Samson-Judges 16)—-(Saul-Samuel 28; 31)—(Ananias & Sapphira—Acts 5)