Knowing Christ Message 5

Knowing Christ

Message 5

Don’t waste your life.

Philippians 3:7-8

Me:

Growing up in church

a. I loved church.

i. My mother was Baptist through and through

ii. Her dad was a deacon most of his adult life.

iii. I can never a time when I wasn’t going to church.

iv. I wanted to hang out with the pastor.

v. This is why I guess I was drawn to the pastorate.

My deepest desire

i. It’s a close intimate relationship with Jesus.

ii. It’s passages like today that can teach us how that is done.

iii. I needed a refresher course.

We:

The five circles of commitment

a. Every church is like this.

i. No church is exempt.

ii. This is not a guilt trip.

iii. I just want to show you where you are.

iv. Imagine stairs.

v. It is my job as pastor to encourage you move to another step.

vi. You can move up a step on fall back a step

b. Step one.

Community

1. Unchurched and Occasional attender

2. Attend online church.

c. Step two.

Crowd

1. Regular Attenders

d. Step three

Congregation

1. Members

2. Decision making process.

e. Step four

Committed

1. Maturing Members – You have a job – a ministry.

f. Step five

Core

1. You have drunk the Kool-Aid.

2. You are a lay leader.

g. Notice this example.

i. John 1:39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

1. Vs.

ii. Luke 9:23 “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

God:

Knowing Christ

a. All else is garage.

i. Philippians 3:7–8 (NLT) — 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

Philippians 3:7–8 NLT

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

ii. Vs: 9 adds this “and become one with him.”

Devotion

i. We see Paul’s life is devoted to one thing.

ii. Nothing else mattered to him.

iii. Remember this that each of have been given a “measure of grace”.

iv. Ephesians 4:7 (CEB) — 7 God has given his grace to each one of us measured out by the gift that is given by Christ.

Ephesians 4:7 CEB

God has given his grace to each one of us measured out by the gift that is given by Christ.

v. We are not all called to be an apostle.

vi. But each has been given the gifts needed to fulfill their purpose.

Don’t waste it!!

It is a wonderful gift given to us.

ix. Few of us can have the kind of devotion that Paul had.

x. But we can learn a great deal from it.

xi. I want to put it to the test.

You:

Valuable

a. Where the rubber meets the road.

i. Here is what it comes down too.

ii. What is most valuable to you?

iii. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

b. What has worth what does not?

i. Do you know how an apple tree produces apples?

ii. You have to prune the branches.

iii. What needs pruning in your life.

c. I am the worst example of this.

i. I can have so many irons in the fire that I get nothing done.

ii. I just have to say no to some things.

Just imagine:

A living sacrifice

a. Taking the next step.

Dying to self

i. Romans 12:1–2 (NLT) — 1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:1–2 NLT

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

ii. Changing the way, you think.

iii. Then you will learn to know God’s will

iv. Just imagine walking in God’s perfect will.

b. Are you ready to take the next step?

i. Knowing Christ is the key.

ii. That knowing comes through loving and not doing.

iii. We do because we love.

iv. What worthless worldly thing is blocking your next step?