Sermon 111796

Phi. 3:10-11                               To Know & Be Like Christ                                           11/17/96

    ABCC

I.   Introduction and Review                                                                                    546

Þ     Knowing Christ is the greatest gain in life (v. 8)

Exceeding & abundantly surpasses the value of religious zeal, family heritage, religious affiliation, ceremonies, reputation in life or church, ordinances, education, etc. - As the stars & moon fade into insignificance when the sun rises, so all these things fade into insignificance to a real & living relationship with Jesus Christ!

Þ     The righteousness of God comes from God through Christ (v. 9)

II.  To Know Christ

·        ‘know” - ginosko = to understand, perceive, feel; experiential & progressive in nature

·        Hebrew idiom describing relationship between a husband & wife (Mt. 1:25)

·        Paul had a radical conversion experience, yet he wanted more than that (Ac. 9)

·        He was miraculously translated into heaven, yet he desired more (2Co. 12:1-4)

·        He wanted to know Christ in greater fellowship & communion; even though he’d known Christ for possibly 30 years, he realized that there was so much more of Jesus to know - it’s like taking a row boat into the ocean or traveling across America on a bicycle; there’s so much more than the eyes & mind can comprehend!

III. To Be Like Christ

A. Experiencing victory over indwelling sin & the devil - “the power of His resurrection”

·        Rom. 6:1-7; 8:31, 37-39

B. Willingness to suffer for righteousness sake - “the fellowship of His sufferings”

To Know & be Like Christ, pg. 2

·        verbal & physical (Mt. 5:10-11; 2Tim. 3:12; Jas. 1:2)

·        Are your suffering at home, school, work, barber/beautician, community, etc. ?

C. Desire for increasing sanctification - “being conformed to His death”

·        intense longing to experience death to sin (Rom. 6:2); greater ability to resist temptation!

·        all of Christ’s experiences become my own (raised to new life, joints heirs-Rom. 8:17, seated with Him in heavenly places-Eph. 2:6, shall reign with Him - Rev. 20:4)

IV. To Be With Christ (v. 11)

·        Every true believer longs to be free from sin’s power & presence;  to enjoy uninterrupted & unhindered fellowship with Christ - PERFECT fellowship, praise, adoration, worship, service.  It will not happen in this life.  We will know this level of perfection only after the resurrection (1Th. 3:11-13; 5:23)

The experiences of verses 9-11 are connected & cannot be separated - “and”.  Justification (v. 9) is followed by sanctification (v. 10) & ultimately glorification (v. 11).  The sanctification process is unbroken (v. 10) - a desire to know Christ is connected with a desire for victory over sin , which is connected with a willingness to suffer & increased desire for sanctification - “and”.

Some of you who have known me for awhile know how precious verse 10 is to me.  In the late 80’s when the Lord was revealing more of Himself to me, this verse came alive to me!  After I was save in 1979, I obsessed with reading the Bible….  This verse influenced me in the formation & name of this church.  Abiding in Christ became my heart’s desire - rewarding quiet time, clear conscience, freedom in worship, longing to be more like Him…