The Marks of a True Christian
The Marks of a True Christian • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Commitment
Commitment
17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
Paul before Jesus, lived the best he could according to his own standards. For prides sake he played according to the rules the system had created.
Nice looking on the outside but full of dead men’s bones.
Jesus wrecked Paul’s whole operation while he was traveling to Damascus to destroy Christians.
3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
And Suffer he did.
21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that! Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
Born a Jew. God’s chosen people - Paul considered himself God’s chosen man.
Educated with the best of the best. He was a top student who loved to learn. He was very proud of this.
Full of righteous zeal for God. Ready to force others to do what he said. Why? Because he knew as good as God what they needed to do to be good like him.
Highly esteemed amongst national leadership. He asked if he could go destroy Christians and the leaders were happy to commission the effort.
Paul was so full of pride that he looked down on his own people, considering himself above everyone else.
Paul definitely had something to lose, and lose he did.
His reputation, His standing in the community, His hope of riches and comfort, His freedom and ultimately, his life.
8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ
Was he foolish? Did Paul not know what he was giving up?
NO! Paul assessed the situation. He knew exactly what he was giving up and he also knew what he was getting in return.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
Paul recognized that the world had nothing to offer that compared to what was found in Jesus. He had tasted of both and found the Lord Jesus to be better without compare.
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
Found in him...
Paul longs to be hidden in Jesus. To be so in Christ that he never comes out of Him, so that whenever anyone looks for him that they find him in Jesus.
So in Christ that when the call comes in the final great day that he is found in Christ. Not like Adam, cowering naked with fig leaves on, but beneath the tree of life wearing the robe of righteousness.
Once met with by the Great Shepherd, we are found by Him, but when safely folded in His love, we are found in Him.
phill 3 9 … not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law...
He does not say: “not counting on my own righteousness”
Paul renounces his own righteousness like a man repenting of his sins.
Philippians 3:9 (NIV)
9b but that (righteousness) which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
Some say that if a person holds to righteousness of faith they will care little about living a holy life for God.
In other words, we need to have the pressure of good works being a part of the salvation process to get us to hold firmly our salvation. If we don’t stress good works we might give up and fall away from Christ with a cold heart.
This is not the case for Paul. He cast away everything he had in exchange for Jesus and Jesus alone.
The Story of the Ship:
Be sure of this truth: the less you value your own righteousness, the more you will seek after true holiness.
Questions:
1. Have you considered all things loss for the sake of Christ?
Do you remember when you met Jesus - how you were willing to give it all?
2. After the years of profession that many of you have made, do you still continue in the same mind and make the same estimate?
Attendance, Giving, Prayer life, Preaching, etc.
If you could go back, to the place where you met Christ at the cross, would you begin again by resting upon Christ and taking him to be your all in all?
I will tell you my answer—I have no other foundation upon which I could begin. I must rest on my Lord.
You cannot say like Paul, “I have lost everything”
But are you willing to suffer complete loss if it were required of you?
Let me ask another practical question. You have not suffered the loss of all things, but seeing God has left your worldly comforts to you, have you used all things for His sake? Have you given to His cause all that cause might fairly ask? I hope you can say, “Yes, I hope I have, and, as the world judges, vastly more.” Well, then, you also may make your estimate as the apostle did.
Gospel message.
I commend to you Christians that you give your whole selves to Christ, that from this day forward you serve Him, spirit, soul and body, for after all there is nothing worth living for, nothing worth even giving a single tear for if you lose it, nor worth a smile if you gain it, save only that which comes from Christ, and can be used for Christ, and is found in Christ. Christ is all. May He be so to you.