The Power of His Resurrection

Scriptural Text:

Self-righteousness

Self-righteousness is like a bottomless cup: though you pour and pour, you will never be able to fill it. Why? Because pouring yourself into yourself adds nothing to you. Nothing plus nothing always equals nothing.

Instead, accept God’s righteousness rather than trying to accumulate your own. You will find that the righteousness he offers is real. And that is what fills the cup of sanctification.1207

 Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 327.

We find “Pressing on:” Paul’s Personal Testimony—Rejecting Self-righteous and Seeking Perfection,

Paul had achieved the height in self-righteousness (v.4-6)

Paul sought to win Christ- His righteousness and perfection (v.7-11)

Paul did not count himself as having yet arrived-he was not yet perfect (v.12-16)

Point: no person can ever earn or merit the right to live in God’s presence, but only through His Son (by love and grace through Him-the gospel). Phil. 3:4-16

If a person is ever going to live in God’s presence, it will be because God loves the person enough to accept him and to transform him into a perfect person.

Paul had missed this, and so many in the world has missed it also.

Five significant points from our passage study():

(1) He had counted his own righteousness loss: A past experience(v.7)

Point: God sees our faith; whether or not it is genuine. Genuine faith makes a total commitment to Jesus Christ. A person gives all he is and has to Christ. (, )

(NKJV) 23Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

23Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

(NKJV) 6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

(2) Paul had counted all things as waste: A continuous experience(v.8)

Point: When a person has made the decision to seek after Christ, he is to continue to seek after the knowledge of Christ-to learn all he can about the righteousness and perfection of Jesus Christ(, , , )

(NKJV) 28Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

28Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

(NKJV) 24For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

24For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

(NKJV) 33So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

33So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

(3) Paul sought to be found in Christ: A future experience (v.9)

Point: A person has to trust the righteousness of Christ to cover him if he wishes to become acceptable to God (, , )

(NKJV) 21But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

21But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

22even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

(NKJV) 3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

(NKJV) 30But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

30But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

(4) Paul sought a victorious experience with Christ-to know His glorious power over the world and all that is in the world(v.10)

Point: To know Christ is to know the power of His resurrection, and to know the fellowship(purpose) of His sufferings(, , , , , )

Note: The point of God’s power: He took Christ into heaven and exalted Him in order to demonstrate that He has the power to take men to heaven and to exalt them.

know

■ verb (past knew; past participle known)

1 be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information.

▶ have knowledge or information concerning.

▶ be absolutely sure of something.

2 be familiar or friendly with.

▶ have a good command of (a subject or language).

▶ have personal experience of.

▶ (usually be known as) regard as having a specified characteristic or title.

Paul sought to be conformed to the death of Christ:

deny himself and take up the cross of Christ daily ()

crucify his old man with Christ ()

to count himself dead to sin but alive to God ()

Kill himself all day long ()

to die daily ()

(NKJV) 20which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

20which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

(NKJV) 22strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

22strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

(NKJV) 29For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

29For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

(NKJV) 12Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

12Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

(5) Paul sought to be resurrected from the dead: An eternal experience with Christ(v.11)

Point: The resurrection will launch the events that will bring about the new heavens and earth. It will be the day when believers will have earthly bodies transformed and recreated into perfect eternal bodies. (, , . , , , , , )

(NKJV) 28Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

28Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

29and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

(NKJV) 40And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

40And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

(NKJV) 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

(NKJV) 14knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.

14knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.

He (Paul) became a holy walker, and a heavenly runner, because of what he saw in Christ Jesus. Be you sure of this, that the less you value your own righteousness, the more will you seek after true holiness; the less you think of your own beauty, the more ardently will you long to become like the Lord Jesus.

Be you sure of this, that the less you value your own righteousness, the more will you seek after true holiness; the less you think of your own beauty, the more ardently will you long to become like the Lord Jesus.

 C. H. Spurgeon, “The Power of His Resurrection,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 35 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1889), 205.