I want to Know Jesus
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I want to know Christ!
Philippians 3:7-14
Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567
The beginning of another year is upon us, you know the time when most people review
last year’s accomplishments and strive to set new goals and dreams. For many their vision of a
better future is one in which they obtain more money, fame, or power. And yet for believers I
would like to think that their vision of a
successful year would be nothing short
of “cultivating a passion for grace, and
an intense longing”1 to become holy as
God is holy. While holiness is too lofty
a goal for some, 2 for others by
comparing to those less spiritually
mature than themselves, “spiritual
dwarfs”3 and still babies in Christ, they
lower God’s standards4 so that in filling
with themselves with the “gas of selfesteem” they might boldly but wrongly
declare that they have attained holiness.
But “self-satisfaction rings the deathknell of (spiritual) progress. There must
be a deep-seated discontent with present attainments, or there will never be a striving after
the things which are yet beyond.”5 Even though “perfect righteousness of Christ is deposited
into every believer”6 this does not mean that we have taken the necessary steps of faith to
1
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 311.
2
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 311.
3
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 308.
4
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 306.
5
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 303.
6
Anthony T. Evans, “‘That I Might Know Him’ (Part 5),” in Tony Evans Sermon Archive (Tony Evans,
2010), Php 3:7–11.
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invite the Holy Spirit to fill our souls with the image of our Lord, Savior and King!7 To keep our
“form of religion” from pacifying us in a stupor of spiritual complacency or decline, I invite you
to prayerfully review Apostle Paul’s vision of running the race in Philippians 3:7-14. This
sermon will review three vital questions whose answers are to be the foundation of the
believer’s vision while on this earth: are you on the right track, do you have passion to run, are
you looking back or are you looking forward and striving to become more like Jesus so that
upon His return you might hear the words “good and faithful servant”?
Are you on the Right Track (7-9)?
One simply cannot become holy as God is holy without first having a relationship with
His Son! Just because a person goes to church, reads the Bible, and prays does not make them a
Christian. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus warned that prophesying, driving out demons and
performing miracles is not sufficient
proof that one has been born again
(Matthew 7:21-23). Apostle Paul by his
own admission flawlessly followed the
Old Testament laws and yet on the road
to Damascus he got on his hands and
knees and realized how desperately he
still needed to be saved! Our works no
matter how glorious they might be in
ours or other people’s eyes are mere
filthy rags for without being born again
the “self-proclaimed righteousness
pacifier”8 is of little comfort to those on
the broad track that leads to destruction
(Matthew 7:13)! While one is alive
physically and intellectually9 one has not
been placed on God’s racetrack of eternal life with Him until one is called and in faith believes in
the atoning sacrifice of the Son (John 3:16).10 Since flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of
God (John 3:5-8) one must be born of the Spirit to be adopted as one of God’s children (John
1:12). When this happens, one is freed from the power of sin (Romans 6:1-14) and being born of
7
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 301.
8
Anthony T. Evans, “‘That I Might Know Him’ (Part 5),” in Tony Evans Sermon Archive (Tony Evans,
2010), Php 3:7–11.
9
James Montgomery Boice, Philippians: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2000), 191.
10
Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 2135.
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the Spirit (John 3:5-6) and a participant of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), is not only capable but
expected to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2) by striving to imitate the holiness of the Son (1
Corinthians 11:1). If your inward soul is not progressing towards the image of the Son,11 that is
you can see no change or fruits of the Spirit in your life, then by the grace of God I implore you
to examine your spiritual life and if the Spirit testifies to your spirit you indeed are not saved
then get on the right track by believing in Jesus and making Him the Lord of your life (Romans
8:9, 16)!
Once one is on God’s track, to become more like Jesus this year will require one to stop
measuring one’s “success” based on earthly accomplishments. “When God chose on the road to
Damascus to reveal His Son”12 Paul’s
view of righteousness completely
changed. Before meeting Christ Paul felt
he was righteous because of his many
impressive accomplishments such as:
being part of the Israelite nation, being
taught under Rabbi Gamaliel I (Acts
22:3) whose interpretations were often
cited in the Mishnah and Talmud,13 being
faultless according to the Mosaic Law,14
and advancing socially and politically in
Judaism far beyond many of his own age
(Galatians 1:14; Philippians 3:5-6). The
intimate personal relationship with his
Savior that Paul so desperately wanted,15
however, after his encounter with Christ and from a carnal perspective costed him plenty,16 the
11
James Montgomery Boice, Philippians: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2000), 192.
12
F. F. Bruce, Philippians, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Peabody, MA: Baker Books,
2011), 114.
13
Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 2134.
14
Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 2134.
15
Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 2134.
16
Ralph P. Martin, Philippians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 11, Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 154.
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chief of which would be the security and his high status in the Jewish community!17 Paul did not
see losing any of these things as a loss because righteousness for him was no longer based on
confidence in the flesh to obey the law18 but in faith in a risen Savior! In his spiritual
reassessment after meeting Christ, 19 Paul truly experienced his old life being dead and as such
considered all external righteousness not indifferently20 but as mere garbage, human dung,21 and
a constant liability because they tempted22 him to take his eyes off the track of allegiance to
Christ!23 Like Apostle Paul if we truly want to become more like Christ then our righteousness
must surpass that of the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20) by keeping our eye fixed on He who bought us
at price and forever secures our place in God’s kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:20)!
Do you Have the Passion to Run (10-11)?
With one’s eyes fixed on Christ the question is do you have enough passion to run in His
kingdom? Looking up at the “mild face of the Redeemer, marked with the thorn-crown of the
King of Sorrows,” 24 surely, we can gather up “all our strength, to cultivate a passion for grace,
an intense longing for holiness!”25 To keep from living a complacent, dare I say average
17
G. Walter Hansen, The Letter to the Philippians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids,
MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009), 236.
18
G. Walter Hansen, The Letter to the Philippians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids,
MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009), 236.
19
Ralph P. Martin, Philippians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 11, Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 152.
20
Ralph P. Martin, Philippians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 11, Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 153.
21
Ralph P. Martin, Philippians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 11, Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 154–155.
22
Ralph P. Martin, Philippians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 11, Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 154.
23
G. Walter Hansen, The Letter to the Philippians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids,
MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009), 234.
24
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 312.
25
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 311.
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Christian life26 of never even trying to run towards holiness, surely we can keep our eyes fixed,
our bodies leaning forward,”27 and our lungs filled with an unquenchable fire to take every
thought, word and deed captive for our Lord, Jesus Christ
(2 Corinthians 10:5)!28 To be holy as God is holy our
passion must deafen the rings of self-satisfaction which is
the “death-knell of spiritual progress,”29 and embrace the
sweet sound of the hallelujah chorus “onward and
upward.”30 If we are to break the chains of complacency to
start running in the kingdom of God then we simply must
view discipleship not only as costly but exceptionally
rewarding. For the dust of the earth to experientially know
the power of Christ’s resurrection through rebirth is an
honor31 that simply must spur one to abandon all carnal
passions and embrace any opportunity given to run and be
transformed more and more into the image of the Son!32
Without this all-consuming passion to live righteously for
He who is the ultimate treasure and peal in the field,33 then
we are forever doomed to see our old nature rise and our
light grow dim in complacency instead of glowing brightly
in His wonder and grace! To even begin running the race there must be passion to relationally
know Christ as Lord!34
26
Anthony T. Evans, “‘That I Might Know Him’ (Part 5),” in Tony Evans Sermon Archive (Tony Evans,
2010), Php 3:7–11.
27
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 310.
28
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 311.
29
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 303.
30
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 301.
31
Homer A. Kent Jr., “Philippians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon,
ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 11 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 141.
32
Ben Witherington III, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids,
MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Company, 2011), 206.
33
Ben Witherington III, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids,
MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Company, 2011), 203.
34
Ben Witherington III, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids,
MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Company, 2011), 203.
5|Page
Passion to effectively run-on God’s track though must be strong enough to endure
suffering for His name’s sake! Most Christians are “exceedingly good tempered” and willing to
run the race but only when it is easy and costs them nothing.35 To truly become intimate with a
holy God the “fellowship of suffering”
36 must be embraced! The closer we get
the Refiners Fire37 the more one faces
the possibility of God’s discipline to
remove ongoing impurities of our old
nature and death to our former way of
living (Romans 6:4-11).38 Also, to get
on the track by identifying oneself with
Christ invites a “measure of Christ’s
afflictions (Colossians 1:24).39
“Remember Jesus never experienced
Easter Sunday until He went through
Bad Friday!”40 Apostle Paul is not
saying we are “to beg for the chance to
suffer”41 as a masochist that enjoys
pain,42 but are to count it pure joy when we go through trials, temptations and even persecution
for His name’s sake so that we might become spiritually mature (James 1:2-4) and as co-heirs
with Christ we might share in His glory (Romans 8:17)!43 When one no longer desires a “long
35
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 308.
36
Anthony T. Evans, “‘That I Might Know Him’ (Part 5),” in Tony Evans Sermon Archive (Tony Evans,
2010), Php 3:7–11.
37
Anthony T. Evans, “‘That I Might Know Him’ (Part 5),” in Tony Evans Sermon Archive (Tony Evans,
2010), Php 3:7–11.
38
Homer A. Kent Jr., “Philippians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon,
ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 11 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 141.
39
Homer A. Kent Jr., “Philippians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon,
ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 11 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 141.
40
Anthony T. Evans, “‘That I Might Know Him’ (Part 5),” in Tony Evans Sermon Archive (Tony Evans,
2010), Php 3:7–11.
41
Anthony T. Evans, “‘That I Might Know Him’ (Part 5),” in Tony Evans Sermon Archive (Tony Evans,
2010), Php 3:7–11.
42
Anthony T. Evans, “‘That I Might Know Him’ (Part 5),” in Tony Evans Sermon Archive (Tony Evans,
2010), Php 3:7–11.
43
Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 2135.
6|Page
distance relationship with God” 44 but instead seeks to crucifies self with Christ on the cross
(Galatians 2:19-20), suffering for His name’s sake is no longer avoided at all costs but embraced
as the fuel to fill one’s lungs with grace and faith and run in His kingdom!
Are you Looking Back or Forward (12-14)?
To effectively run-on God’s racetrack we are not to look back or make comparisons
between ourselves and other runners! How sad it is to see a
born-again believer look back at their sins, drop to their knees
in defeat and never run again! Instead of “resurrecting old
corruptions by erecting a trophy over their graves,” 45 Paul
recommends to “forget what is behind” and to continue to run
in full recognition that one has not yet reached perfection.46
This does not mean that one forgets the memory of past sins
and in doing so risks repeating them47 but only that confessed
sins have by the grace of God been forgiven and as such are
to not to be used as an excuse to be complacent but merely
incentive to keep a person humble!48 Equally problematic is
sitting on God’s race track because one has made faulty
comparisons. When one looks back and compares oneself to
“dwarfs one tends to think oneself a giant” 49 and when one
looks forward and compares oneself to spiritual giants one
tends to see oneself as a mere babe and give up in defeat!
“Self-esteem is a moth which frets the garments of virtue,”50
while self-deprecation diminishes the Spirit’s power of
44
Anthony T. Evans, “‘That I Might Know Him’ (Part 5),” in Tony Evans Sermon Archive (Tony Evans,
2010), Php 3:7–11.
45
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 309.
46
Ralph P. Martin, Philippians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 11, Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 159.
47
Homer A. Kent Jr., “Philippians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon,
ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 11 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 142–143.
48
Roger Ellsworth, Opening up Philippians, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications,
2004), 66.
49
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 308.
50
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 309.
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sanctification. How successful one is in running the race is not determined by comparison with
the other runner’s positions on the track comparative to that of one’s own51 but on how close one
is conforming to the image of the Son!52 “We never see the beauty of Christ without at the same
time perceiving our own deformity,”53 but at the same time we never to dismiss the grace and
power of the Potter to never stop molding the clay (Isaiah 64:8)!
The beginning of another year is upon is and we stand at the crossroads of what will be our
vision for the coming year. We could choose to continue to live a “cluttered, distracted and
fragmented life”54 of no vision or choose to be like the world and chase after money, fame and
power that are here today and gone
tomorrow. Surely as born-again
believers through the power of the
Spirit we can throw off the shackles of
spiritual complacency by keeping our
eyes fixed on Christ, our bodies
learning forward, and our lungs filled
with the unquenchable fire to take
every thought, word, and deed captive
for our Lord Jesus Christ! With
rejoicing in our hearts may our vision
be to draw nearer to the Refiners Fire
so that our impurities might be
cleansed, and we might get the
privilege of participating in Christ’s
persecution and suffering! Refusing to
see ourselves as either spiritual dwarfs or giants may we throw off our righteous pacifiers of
religion and embrace His sanctifying grace55 to never inviting Christ to keep on molding and
shaping us into His image! And while we run the race may our cries of “woe is me, for I am a
person of unclean lips” not instill within our hearts a sense of defeat but instead rejoicing that a
51
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 310.
52
F. F. Bruce, Philippians, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Peabody, MA: Baker Books,
2011), 121.
53
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 305.
54
Roger Ellsworth, Opening up Philippians, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications,
2004), 67.
55
Ralph P. Martin, Philippians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 11, Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 159.
8|Page
“humble, timid, fearful, watchful, self-depreciating Christian” 56 can with confession glow
righteously as a masterpiece of His grace! So, may we stand and run-on God’s racetrack of life
with an unwavering and unquenchable desire to at the end of our journey be summoned by the
great Judge Jesus Christ and hear the words good and faithful servant! Until that glorious day
may out mission forever be onward and upward!
56
C. H. Spurgeon, “Onward!,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 19 (London: Passmore
& Alabaster, 1873), 305–306.
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