The Cup and the Glory of Knowing Christ (Philippians 3.9-11)

Philippians 3:9-11

GBCCR 7/28/24

Catch- Have you ever tried deconstruction without reconstructionThere are a few legitimate places for righteous anger in our world

Imagine finding out your roof has serious structural problems and is at risk of falling in

The logical decision is to begin removal and repair, right?

But if you don’t know how to fix you might be in even a worse place, right?

There is nothing like spending a small fortune to repair a roof and then the first big rain storm comes and your ceilings have become fountains

Instead, you need clear plans to rebuild strongly and securely

The late great apologists Francis Schareffer wrote, ““Every man has built a roof over his head to shield himself at the point of tension…The Christian lovingly, must remove the shelter and allow the truth of the external world and of what man is to beat upon him. When the roof is off, each man must stand naked and wounded before the truth of what is…”

So Paul tore the roof off self-righteousness and is instead imploring us to base our safety on Christ righteousness’

There is a special place 8n hell for those who abandon their spouses in times of sicknessOne of those is those men who divorce their wives because they are sick and those who tell them to do so

It makes sense in the world that says marriage is about fulfilling you and making your happy

But even worse is when christian teachers do encourage this

Pat Robertson of the 700 club back in 2011 said a man should divorce his wife suffering with Alzheimer’s disease and “start all over again” if he is lonely and in need of companionship.

one of his co-hosts was shocked and about the vow “to death due us part,”

Robertson responded that “if you respect that vow,” then Alzheimer’s can be viewed as “a kind of a death.”

He later tried to back track saying

"I want to say I envy the Catholic priest, because when they have someone in confession it's all kept secret," Robertson said and laughed. "When I have somebody asking me for advice, it spreads worldwide and it's misunderstood."

And if a catholic priest gave that advice to my brother in law, I would still be angry

Instead, when those vows of in sickness or in health for richer or pooer is a an opportunity for greater intimacy and love to be exressed that ever existed before

And that sacrificial love is beautiful

It is beautiful to love someone if he your lonely because they can give nothing back

In a similar way, sometimes people come to christanity to get a get of hell free card or purpose of life, or relief from guilt

But with a suffering savior who literally gave his life for us comes a condrum for those people

Are we better than God so we do not have to suffer?

Or does God use this suffering the draw us even closer into sweet fellowship with Him?

Friends, the glory of Christ is wonderful, but the cup of trials, though it goes down bitter, ends up being sweet

Review- Last time we saw Paul boast about himself a little bit

his boasting showed he was the billionaire of the religious world

But they were all ways we all fell short

Do we come from a religious family? Paul’s was better

Did we put in a bunch of religious effort… more than your peers… Paul did more so, having lived as a pure Hebrew far away from Israel

Do you do a lot of good deeds? Paul did more

And yet, Everything Paul did was unimpressive towards God and actually put him in debt as we’ll see

This call for realizing what you did is worthless before God comes after and does not contradict chapter 2’s call to work out your salvation and live a certain way

Paul’s warning against the false teachers who say, “Boast about the great things you’ve done, boast about your following of the law.”

Paul’s statement is to look at what was really impressive about Jesus…. His humility

Christians seek to be like Christ not because doing so saves us, but because he has already done so, we get to be like the greatest one in the universe

We, like him, must end where v8 does…

if we’ve died to ourselves… we need a resurrection.

So let’s see

The one hope and path to share Jesus’ resurrection

Your only hope of righteousness: faith in the suffering Christ (9)

Paul circles around again explaining the reason we do not put confidence in the flesh.

His desire is in the end to be found in Christ

Found carries the idea of being under investigation

He wants to gain Christ and be found in Him on that final day of judgment

I love this phrase, being found in Him because so often we want to say I’ve taken Christ into my heart,

because so often we want to say I’ve taken Christ into my heart, which the bible doesn’t say for salvation

Here Paul talks instead about him being within Christ

It means to be connected to Jesus like the branches is connected to the vine

Unlike just inviting Jesus to be part of my life, it is recognizing Jesus utterly defines my life because I am dependent upon him for everything

He then gives two reasons he needs Christ

Why is Christ your only secure hope?

Because might does not make right

Expla

Not having our own righteousness

In the bible righteousness is often a legal term,

not a moral one. It means that a judge would pronounce someone righteous.the ideal was that the person would

the ideal was that the person would actually be righteous, but the focus is on what the judge said

The Mosaic Law acted as a temporary guardian for Israel until Christ came

Israel learned they could not obey the law perfectly as God commanded, so he led them to see their need in one greater who could.

(Galatians 3:23-25) “But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor

We simply cannot live up to its standard.

James 2:10: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

God’s standard is too perfect for people

Paul looked great on the outside but he knew that in his greatest moments following the law could not justify him. God saw his heart.

God saw his heart.

Therefore when you add anything man made to salvation, you are rejecting the gospel which says you cannot do everything to be saved, God does it all.

No one can be saved the merit system unless they demean the righteousness of God of God

As even the father of faith himself, Abraham did not love his wife well, instead lying about her so that Pharoah took here as a wife

And it was long enough that they realized no babies were coming

He abandoned her and that was sin

Paul never speaks negatively about the Law, but always our inability to keep it

Romans 7:7–8- What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.

Illustration

Being mighty in good deeds can not make you righteous before God

Because God has a zero failures policy when it comes to righteousness

We understand this expectation in our current world too

Kimberly Cheatle led the Secret Service’s and said “This agency and the Secret Service has a zero fail mission,” in 2021 during a Secret Service podcast

Why? Because it’s a really big deal if a politican is killed or a captured

JFK dying changed everything, Trump dying would have changed everything

If God let his 0 tolerance for sin policy fail it would destroy everything

Just think of all our new years resolutions, right?

How often do we break them?

And we eventually fail at them, even if we think we’re doing pretty well for a while.

It is like thinking you have exquisite fashion sense

And yet you keep showing up to events and getting strange looks

Until a friend finally says… hey, those clothes don’t look so good

So is the deception of self-righteousness

Application

To those of you who are rule keepers, remember to go back and read Paul’s statusremind yourself that as much as you try to keep, you’re not doing enough

remind yourself that as much as you try to keep, you’re not doing enough

All you must do is simply go to God in forgiveness if you ever thought you were righteous and good by the way your kept your lists’

God does not grade on a curve

But take hope you who fail your liststhere is something far better, the righteousness of being found in Him… wearing the royal wear of Jesus.

there is something far better, the righteousness of being found in Him… wearing the royal wear of Jesus.

Trans: & this reminds us we are not good enough

Because only Christ did it right

Expla

Instead of our righteousness being from our good deeds, it must come from Christ’s faithfulness.

The phrase faith in Christ is quite debated.

Your bible may say faith in Christ, but a better translation might be “faithfulness of Christ”

It is not faith you havebut it is the faithful acts jesus did

but it is the faithful acts jesus did

Thus when Christ fought and won against sin throughout his life, his success is given to youchristians.

Ie: when he was in the wilderness his success was not just an example,

it was succeeding where you and I fail again and gain.

Jesus as the perfect man did what God required

Remember chapter 2’s description of Jesus?

Philippians 2:8–9- Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

when Christ resisted without sin his entire life, he obeyed every aspect of the law for sinners like you.

Hebrews 4:15- For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

This was a great example of how god’s standard needs to be met

The theologians AA Hodge said The “righteous requirement of the law” (Rom 8:4) is “the totality of that which the law demands as the condition of favor.

Instead of more law, we need grace

Commenatory Richard Melick, writes, “Grace means that persons cast themselves on the mercy of God, trusting that what Jesus did will be applied to them.”

Christians are wrapped in a robe of his righteousness, but it is not something he gives us and walks away

Jesus’ faithfulness is only given to your account by your faith in him. (the last phrase)

Faith just means trust

“Faith” means more than intellectual assent or simply mouthing the words “I believe in Jesus.”

As James reminds us, the demons have that kind of faith (James 2:19; cf. 1 John 3:18).

Saving faith is a settled trust that leads to obedience, total trust in HIm

Romans 1:5- through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake,

It is a faith that continues to trust Him every day

Illustration of---- Christ did it right for us, so he’s the only hope

To use a biblical story,

there is a large difference between saying I believe there is treasure in that field and selling everything I have to own that field so I can get the treasure.

Jesus is worth selling all to find him

Application

The application is simple… believe in Jesus having done everything perfectly that you have not

He always kept his promises when you failed

To our non believing friends here… this is what we mean by not believing

I know many people who intellectually say Christianity make the most sense

But do you believe that He did everything the bible says He did

And then do you believe it enough to give up everything else as Paul did.

Matthew 10:38–39- And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

This alone is the saving faith

Trans: But he doesn’t stop there, no, Paul pushes us towards greater fellowship with Christ

Your only path for resurrection: following the suffering Christ (v10-11)

The “that” is giving the reason he has given this whole personal testimony, that he has explained his life to them, because this is what is important to Paul.

Paul gives 3 descriptions of knowing Christ.

Knowing Christ’s glorious resurrection

Expla

Not just the facts of the resurrection

This is word that means the knowing of experience

Knowing the power of Christ’s resurrection that can change

See Paul knew that his human flesh did not have enough, even as a saved man to change itself

Romans 7:18- For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

Flip to

Flip to: Ephesians 1:19–20- and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

The power God used to raise Jesus form the dead is what works in you to make you holy

This power changes us, helps your fight sin, answers your prayers, brings your friend to Christ...That is the same power. 


Romans 6:4- Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Thus the more you see your life change the more you will understand how powerful this life giving power was.

But that doesn’t necessarily make it easy because Jesus first had to die before he could be resurrected.

And while resurrection awaits Christians, many will still die

The full glory comes after we die

Second Corinthians 4:17, "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison."

one of the authors of Scripture faced the dilemma of describing heavenly truths by earthly comparisons; they simply do not evenly match.

Illus

There is an powerful phrase, “death where is your sting” Death is now a de-fanged snake, but that bite still hurts.

Death is now a de-fanged snake, but that bite still hurts.Death is still the final enemy to be defeated

Death is still the final enemy to be defeated 


So before the change comes in your life, there has to be pain first.

App

This is a glorious power that exists

Christian, Do you believe God can change you?

At times, it is easy to believe the lie of Satan that I can never leave this sin behind, or this pain will never be worth it

Like how someone can be sober for 30 years and they still call themselves an alcoholic

Or the painful loss of a loved one will be something you can never recover from

Or you will never stop that sailor mouth

The same power is available to change you, but it works through the difficulties, not around them

Yes, there are times when God keeps us pursuing after the upward call for a long time

Sometimes, we don’t see total change until the end

Some of you are pretty hopeless when it comes to change in your life

Let me remind you the hard parts is part of the process

Because No one is impressed with a resurrection without death

And so you will only praise God if you changes you from something you can’t change on your own

If you are struggling… you’re in a good spot.

Trans: Back to that dying part…and we must remember that Christ didn’t just die quickly and painlessly

Sharing Christ’s painful cup

Explanation

We’ve spoken several times throughout this book on suffering,

it is a constant theme that we must be reminded on as suffering really should be the ordinary life a believer.

Romans 8:16–17…The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

This is the cup part that Jesus told James and John about

Mark 10:36–39- And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.

They were bold, asking for great things from God… and you cannot really blame them, they want to sit with Jesus because they believe he will rule

So they said, we can take it Jesus… but Jesus really understood and so said to the father

Matthew 26:39- And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Fellowship= a sharing

The word share in some bibles is translated fellowship in others

you associate around shared experiences.

Everyone who went to a concert can talk about it afterwards

so your suffering associates you with Christ’s experience, you know what he went through

This is hard...we want to know the power, but not this fellowship.

We all want to know Jesus, but we want to know the Jesus who says―Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) 


We seem to forget that Jesus was a suffering servant, so to share with him means to share with his sufferings

Isaiah 53:2–3- For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief….

it is our sufferings which make us run to this Jesus. When we feel strong we do not feel the weight of our loads. 


What is interesting is that throughout scripture the glory usually comes after the suffering

1 Peter 4:13- but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

Here the suffering comes last as the ultimate Goal… because while suffering will result in glory, the best part is it brings you to Christ

Illustration- We get to share in Christ’s painful cup

And it is amazing how suffering gives us something to talk about

Just think about how when ever someone brings up some particular ailment, people always jump forward with their versions of it and solutiosn they found

We empathize and want to share solutions

In the same way, our suffering brings us to relate with the suffering servant and lord willing, share the ways we grew closer to God

Application

Following Jesus will bring you along the road less traveled, often to suffering

I know, I run from it too often..I don’t want to share the gospel with that I don’t even know, they may think I’m annoying or dumb, uh really?

Our view should be:we ―had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (Acts 5:41),

We might say, ―Thank God! He is finally entrusting me with a little bit of persecution. I want more of it, if it means I may know Christ better.

One time I remember evangelizing to a someone at a fair and she simply.. I feel sorry for you that you do not know yourself, that you feel like you need someone else... then as I ran by to the car seomone shouted, hey there goes jesus...

It was a minor thing, but actually was a great encouragement to me...they were calling me Jesus

So do not rejoice in trials, but rejoice that they are evidence of his intimate relationship with you. and realize he understands, as he’s been there.

Trans: his suffering took him all the way to the cross

Copying Christ’s purposeful death

Remember Phil 2:6-11... the christ hymn*notice that his exaltation came at the result of having suffered on a cross in obedience to God

*notice that his exaltation came at the result of having suffered on a cross in obedience to God

The god-man died to be raised, The heavenly Lion, is a slain Lamb (Rev 5:5-6)

The heavenly Lion, is a slain Lamb (Rev 5:5-6) 


The phrase becoming like literally means “to become the same form as.” 


So Christians are to have the same attitude that he had going to the cross...considering others more important. death to self & death to sin

death to self & death to sin 


So do not be surprised when following Christ feels like your losing everything

The life you expected, your family’s approval, the financial success, or whatever those around say you need.

Feel free to grieve a moment, then trust God that…

But he gives something better (11)

Paul does all these things so that he might attain that resurrection 


This is speaking not just how Jesus died, but how all will one day raise

“I may attain: some bibles rightly say if possible. More likely from what we understand of Paul writing elsewhere this is not a doubt of whether he will be saved, but refers to the fact that he might not die at all.

This is not a conditional statement, because Paul knew God’s promise, but a statement of his goal

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17- For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

We are all aiming for this meeting the lord in the air, we may die, we may just be transformed, but the final result is worth it all.

Paul wants what is best for him...and that is not prideful.

Greatest happiness and fulfillment is found in God’s plans

App:So Christian

So Christian

you’re life should be stamped with the cross, And the cross was a symbol of suffering and death

And the cross was a symbol of suffering and death

But Jesus changed it to one of hope because of what is on the other side

Therefore

Since we have seen (Cohesion)-

Paul’s goal was resurrection

But to get there he had to give up on himself and rely only on Jesus

And if we can rely upon Jesus that much… then we will do whatever it takes to know him better.

We know we must (Resolution)-

Some of you have done things that deserve righteous judgment

Maybe you never abaonded your spouse physically, but in your heart

But so many of our sins can be the same

And they can all be forgiven because it is not the good things we do that brings us to Christ

It is our weakness and sins that bring us to our knees before the righteous one

My favorite devotional is The gospel Primer

The gospel encourages me to rest in my righteous standing with God, a standing which Christ Himself has accomplished and always maintains for me. I never have to do a moment’s labor to gain or maintain my justified status before God!

Freed from the burden of such a task, I now can put my energies into enjoying God, pursuing holiness, and ministering God’s amazing grace to others.

On my worst days of sin and failure, the gospel encourages me with God’s unrelenting grace toward me. On my best days of victory and usefulness, the gospel keeps me relating to God solely on the basis of Jesus’ righteousness and not mine.

So please work with all your strength to be godly and then don’t rely upon it.

Rely upon Jesus’ work instead.

Closing prayer