Philippians 3:7-11

Philippians 3:7-11

A New Year & A New Me (Commitment)

Introduction

At midnight, while we were together on Zoom, on January 1st, 2022, we shouted together - HAPPY NEW YEAR! Historically, I have made what’s known as New Year’s Resolutions. Many of you have made lists of your own as well, if we would really be honest and transparent. We made this litany of vows and promises that we really had every intention on keeping. (lol)

The purpose of this message today is to not make a New Year’s resolution, but make a personal commitment to know Christ.

Paul, in the earlier verses of the chapter, infuses his transparent pseudo-confidence in his fleshly position and attainments as a way of warning the Philippian Christians about the religious heretics of their day.

Keep in mind that the Apostle Paul had a past before his encounter with Jesus! He was a religious, self-righteous, prideful, egotistical, persecutor of the early church, and the Christians who made up the same.

And now, he communicates to the Philippians Christians the emptiness and void of even that.

Paul was not concerned with prestige, power, position, or his pedigree.

Loss - disadvantage, forfeit, no heavenly gain

To know

1. δοκιμάζω, to prove, assay, as refiners do metals by fire, to try, examine, try the fitness, or goodness of; hence, to have experience of by trial, to approve.

2. γινώσκω, to perceive, to observe, to obtain a knowledge of or insight into, to know; γινώσκω frequently denotes a personal relation between the person knowing and the object known, equivalent to, to be influenced by our knowledge of the object, and hence, to allow oneself to be determined by one’s knowledge.

Bullinger, E. W. (1908). In A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament (Fifth Edition, Revised, p. 43). Longmans, Green, & Co.

Know Him in His Person (10a) & the POWER of the resurrection (10b)

(10a) - Person - I want to KNOW HIM…

I want to know His character. I WANT TO KNOW HIM…

I want to know His heart. I WANT TO KNOW HIM

I want to know His mind. I WANT TO KNOW HIM

I want to know His pain. I WANT TO KNOW HIM

This Jesus, who felt the pain of a mother who was on her way to bury her son, and he stopped the processional and raised her son up…I WANT TO KNOW HIM

This Jesus, who saw it necessary not to send the multitude away hungry & famished, but had them sit down on the ground and fed them all…I WANT TO KNOW HIM

This Jesus, who paused and took time on His way to another mission, took the time to heal a woman with an issue of blood…I WANT TO KNOW HIM…

(10b) - POWER OF HIS Resurrection = a NEW LIFE in CHRIST; my NEW LIFE with CHRIST…

“In (His presence) is fullness of joy!” (Ps. 16:11b)

In Him, we have adoption as sons and daughters- IN HIM

In Him, we have redemption through His blood- IN HIM

In Him, we have forgiveness of sins- IN HIM

In Him, we have been chosen and predestined according to His plan- IN HIM

In Him, we have access to the throne of grace- IN HIM

In Him, we have abundant life- IN HIM

Know Him in (by participating in) His Suffering (10c)

(10c) the FELLOWSHIP - (koinonia) being in relationship, partnership, participation in, communion with - a WILLING FELLOWSHIP

(10c) His SUFFERINGS - His pain, suffering, misfortune, calamity and ANYTHING that goes along with Christ’s SUFFERING

His SUFFERING “refers primarily to the events Jesus underwent from His arrest to His death.”

Luke 9:23, “If any many will come after me, let him deny himself, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, and follow me.”

2 Corinthians 1:5, “Just as the sufferings of Christ flow to us, thus through Christ our comfort flows also

Know Him in (becoming like Him) His Death (10d)

Cp. Philippians 2:7-8, “7 But made himself of no reputation (He emptied Himself), and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

“He who exalts himself, shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Matt. 23:12)

There are blessings for being obedient. Blessings for OBEDIENCE are found in Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (NIV)

Know Him in (attainment/achievement of) His Resurrection (11)

(11) - Resurrection = resurrection from the DEAD when Christ returns

Cp. 1 Cor. 15:51-58 (turn and read), “51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”