Sermon Tone Analysis

! 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%