TRIUMPHANT JOY #5: THE OVERWHELMING PRECIOUSNESS OF KNOWING JESUS
INTRO TO SPEAKER: Talk about camping and Caleb’s football game.
OPENING TEXT: “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” (Phil. 3:1-2, NKJV).
• As we come into the third chapter, Paul reminds us of his theme: Rejoice in the Lord!
THE BIG IDEA: The deepest most lasting joy does not come from things, but from a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
I. PAUL’S PAST – HIS IMPRESSIVE RESUME:
“3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.” (Phil. 3:3-7, NKJV).
• Paul listed off an impressive spiritual resume of what he did for God.
• What’s on your resume? Maybe you have Christian parents, you’ve gone to church your whole life, memorized lots of the Bible, you’ve been involved in ministry.
• Paul says that all of those things are worthless compared to knowing Jesus personally!
II. PAUL’S PASSION – TO KNOW JESUS MORE:
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish,
(Greek skubalon - the excrement of animals, rubbish, dregs of things worthless and detestable)
that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. (Phil. 3:8-10, NKJV).
• Verse 10 is one of my favourite verses in the Bible – it’s my heart’s cry and passion!
“Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” (Phil. 3:8, Amplified).
• There’s nothing as importance, precious, awesome and valuable as knowing Jesus.
• This is the most important thing in the Christian life – do you know Him? Love Him?
HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION: WHO IS JESUS?
(Give the congregation an opportunity to respond).
“[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly]...” (Phil. 3:10, Amplified).
• I want to get to know Jesus better, and I want to help you get to know Him more too!
APPLICATION: HOW DO WE GET TO KNOW JESUS PERSONALLY?
NOTE – These are some of the different ways I have used to get to know Jesus better.
• Read the Bible – it reveals the loving, gracious heart of Jesus to us.
o QUOTE: “Starting the day by filling the mind with the Word of God will bring more joy and more love and more power than traveling on yesterday’s gas.” (John Piper, When I Don’t Desire God).
• Study the names of God in the Bible: Father, Good Shepherd, Friend of Sinners, etc.
• Pray – develop a personal friendship with Him
o QUOTE: “The key to joy in God is God’s omnipotent, transforming grace… laid hold of by faith through prayer.” (John Piper).
• Commit to church attendance – Sunday mornings and home groups to grow
o QUOTE: “One of my first questions in dealing with a joyless saint is, “Are you in a small group of believers who care for each other and pray for each other?” Usually, the answer is no.” (John Piper).
1. TO KNOW JESUS IN THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION:
• PREACH IT: To know Jesus is to know a supernatural, resurrected God!
• We can know Jesus personally because He is alive! He lives, He lives today…
• “If that same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you…”
• To know Jesus as healer, provider, protector, comforter, wonderful counsellor, etc!
• Psalm 103: His benefits – healing, forgiveness, redemption, renewal
• Phil. 4:13 – “I can do all things!” & Phil. 4:19 – “My God shall supply all my needs!”
• We like the benefits of salvation, but we don’t like the next part:
2. TO KNOW JESUS IN THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS:
• Living for Jesus isn’t easy – there is suffering, temptations, persecutions.
• We fight for joy, we struggle against sickness and discouragement and death.
• If Jesus experienced loss, betrayal, rejection and suffering, how can we think we won’t?
• “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:12-13, NKJV).
• Reminder: This life is not all there is! It’s not Heaven yet!
TWO SIDES OF KNOWING JESUS – RESURRECTION AND SUFFERING:
• In Psalm 23, David talks about how we know Jesus in the power of His resurrection (green pastures, still waters, refreshing our soul) and in the fellowship of His suffering (when we are in the valley of the shadow of death). Two sides of the Christian life!
• During seasons where we experience His resurrection power, joy is easy.
• During seasons where we encounter fellowship in His sufferings, we must fight for joy.
3. TO BE CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH:
• One of the goals of knowing Jesus more is to become more like Him: die to ourselves.
• What does this mean? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20, NKJV).
• As we die to ourselves and our own selfish desires, we become more like Jesus.
III. PAUL’S PURSUIT – FORGET THE PAST AND REACH FORWARD:
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14, NKJV).
• Three things Paul encourages us to do:
o Forget the past. All of your previous failures – and successes.
o Reach forward to the good things God has in store for your future
o Press towards the goal = knowing Jesus more, becoming more like Him!
CLOSING PRAYER: For God to stir up our heart’s passion to know Him more.
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://pastorchrisjordan.wordpress.com/
