Relighting the Fire
Philippians 3:7-11
Purpose: To challenge believers to pursue a passionate walk with Christ.
Aim: I want the listener to take the necessary steps to get closer to Christ.
INTRODUCTION: When Paul met Jesus on the Damascus road his whole life was forever changed. Jesus set him on fire and Pau, as far as we know, never lost that passion to glorify Christ. We, on the other hand, generally swing from hot to cold in our pursuit of Christ. What makes the difference?
More than anything else, ✔ we need a deep passionate hunger for Christ so that we will give up everything just so we can experience a brief glimpse of Him.
How can we experience that?
Vs.7-8 I. Put Out Worldly Fires “all things to be loss”
The truth is, we all have strong desires. Even a shy person will brighten up and get talkative when you start talking about a subject they are really interested in.
You can tell a lot about a person by what he is passionate about.
The flesh is a built-in law of failure, making it impossible for the natural man to please or serve God. It is a compulsive inner force inherited from man’s fall, which expresses itself in general and specific rebellion against God and His righteousness. The flesh can never be reformed or improved. The only hope for escape from the law of the flesh is its total execution and replacement by a new life in the Lord Jesus Christ. [Mark Bubeck, The Adversary, Moody Press, p. 28.]
This is why Paul says that we, “worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3 NAU).
Paul learned that there wasn’t anything good outside of Christ. Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. (NAU)
Paul has just finished listing (Vs.3-6) all the things that the world may consider important, and yet he learned that they were worthless.
Solomon learned this lesson the hard way. He started out loving God, but then fame and money and lust distracted him. In the end he learned that all of those things were empty and worthless. ✔ When you stand at the bedside of a dying loved one, what is important then?
Solomon said it this way, Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him. (NAU)
Chuck Swindoll told about the time he got up very early one morning to travel to preach. He was standing in front of his closet trying to decide what suit to wear. Then he felt the tremor of an earth quake and suddenly his priorities changed. He grabbed the closest pair of pants and ran outside to safety.
When see what really matters, worthless things will lose their appeal. We must put out the fires of worldliness in our lives if we want to experience a closer walk with Christ.
Vs.9 II. Scorn Your Own Goodness “not having a righteousness of my own”
✔ Paul learned that ALL of his attempts to be good ended in failure.
Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. (NAU) We will never love the righteousness of Christ until we see that we can only sin apart from Christ.
I am amazed at how easily my heart becomes selfish. Even when I am doing good things my heart is always looking for ways to make me look good to others, who may be watching.
As long as we are trying to salvage our pride by comparing how good we are to others we will never see the awesome glory of being wrapped in Christ’s perfect righteousness.
Vs.10a III. Long to Know Christ Personally “that I may know Him”
Notice how the NIV translates this phrase: “I want to know Christ.” Paul is not talking about knowing about Christ, which is necessary before we can give ourselves to Him, Paul is talking about experiencing Christ.
✔ Once you come to know Christ then you will want to know Him better.
Psalm 73:25-26 25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (NAU)
Psalm 63:1-3 1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. 3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. (NAU)
Mary learned a lesson that an ancient Martha “Stewart” needed to learn. Luke 10:38-42 38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (NAU)
Vs.10b IV. Review the Power Christ Has “the power of His resurrection”
A. Christ has power to change us
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (NAU)
Colossians 3:1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (NAU)
B. Christ has power to change others
Paul was confident that God’s power, and God’s power alone, was enough to change people from sinners into believers.
Ephesians 3:13-21 13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory. 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (NAU)
✔ As you pray for others to find Christ, do you have a confidence that God can change them?
Vs.10c V. Remember How Jesus Suffered “fellowship of His sufferings”
This can be translated “participation in his sufferings”
Obviously, we can’t enter into the suffering that Jesus experienced on the Cross. This is talking about the open suffering that Jesus experienced while on earth.
A. Jesus suffered loneliness
John 6:64-66 64 “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. (NAU)
When Jesus was arrested all of his followers ran away. Paul was able to fellowship with this suffering: 2 Timothy 4:10 for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me . . . . (NAU) 2 Timothy 4:16 At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; . . . . (NAU)
B. Jesus suffered the lies of others
Jesus was accused of gluttony: Matthew 11:19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” (NAU)
Jesus was accused of blasphemy: Matthew 26:65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; (NAU)
Jesus was accused of being demon possessed: John 7:20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” (NAU)
Jesus was accused of breaking the Law: John 9:16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” . . . . (NAU)
Jesus was accused of being insane: Mark 3:21 When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.” (NAU)
Jesus was accused of treason: John 19:12 As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar.” (NAU)
How can we want to serve the Lord knowing that it will bring us pain? Because, the pain brings us closer to the Lord!!
☛ 1 Peter 4:13-14 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. 14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (NAU) ✔ The presence of Christ is more precious than the absence of pain.
Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. (NAU) What is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? When Jesus was on earth He displayed the glory of God by the way He suffered. Jesus is no longer here so we must display the glory of God by the way we suffer.
Vs.10d VI. Remember Why Jesus Died “conformed to His death”
✔ We should die TO our sin because Jesus died FOR our sin.
Romans 6:4-6 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. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; (NAU)
Since our daily selfishness caused Christ to be brutally tortured on the Cross, we should never take our own sin lightly.
Romans 6:11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (NAU)
CONCLUSION: Is that the frame of mind you have right now? Are you in such a close relationship with Christ that we are straining to know Him more and more each and everyday?
Where has the fire gone? To be set on fire, we must let God kindle the blaze. What is your passion? Are you ready to partner with God and make a difference in life?
✔ Every person who lives for Christ dies to self.
