BEING TRANSFORMED BY THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
PHILIPPIANS 3:7–11 BUT WHATEVER WAS TO MY PROFIT I NOW CONSIDER LOSS FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST. 8 WHAT IS MORE, I CONSIDER EVERYTHING A LOSS COMPARED TO THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD, FOR WHOSE SAKE I HAVE LOST ALL THINGS. I CONSIDER THEM RUBBISH, THAT I MAY GAIN CHRIST 9 AND BE FOUND IN HIM, NOT HAVING A RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MY OWN THAT COMES FROM THE LAW, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST—THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES FROM GOD AND IS BY FAITH. 10 I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF SHARING IN HIS SUFFERINGS, BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH, 11 AND SO, SOMEHOW, TO ATTAIN TO THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.
INTRODUCTION: EASTER WAS AND STILL IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN EXTREME ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS. IT IS THE EVENT OF THE RESURRECTION THAT BROUGHT A WHOLE NEW DYNAMIC INTO THE WORLD.
WE CAN SEE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF CHRIST IN THE GOSPELS WHERE AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHANGED THE LIVES OF OTHERS. THAT CHANGE INFURIATED THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND THEY TOOK OPPORTUNITY OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO THWART THE MINISTRY OF THE SON OF GOD, THINKING THEY HAD SUCCEEDED WHEN THEY MANIPULATED THE CROWD, VIOLATED RELIGIOUS LAW, AND EXTORTED PILATE TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANTED: A CRUCIFIXION!
BLINDED BY THEIR IGNORANCE AND HATRED, THEY COULD NOT SEE THE BIG PICTURE: THE PRICE OF SIN PAID, A FINISHED WORK, A TRANSITIONAL TOMB, AND A RESURRECTED CHRIST.
TRANSITION: HERE IN THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE WE SEE, WHAT I WOULD CALL THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF THE GOSPEL. FOR PAUL, WHO WAS COMMITTED TO THE ERADICATION OF THE CHURCH, TO COME DOWN A DAMASCUS ROAD, MEET THE SAVIOR HE SOUGHT TO PERSECUTE, AND THEN EXPERIENCE THE TRANSFORMATION SO POWERFUL THAT IS WOULD PUT HIM AT ODDS WITH THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS HE HAD SERVED AND FIND HIM TRAVELING THE KNOWN WORLD IN ORDER TO BRING THE GOSPEL TO WHOMEVER WOULD LISTEN.
WOW!
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT PAUL SAYS HAPPENED TO HIM BECAUSE OF EASTER!
I. ENCOUNTERING JESUS CHANGES OUR PERSPECTIVE, V.7
PHILIPPIANS 3:7 BUT WHATEVER WAS TO MY PROFIT I NOW CONSIDER LOSS FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST.
a. WHAT PAUL WAS LEAVING BEHIND – 3:5-6
i. CONFIDENCE IN HIS FLESH
ii. HIS RELIGIOUS UPBRINGING
iii. HIS HERITAGE
iv. HIS STANDING IN THE COMMUNITY
v. HIS RELIGIOUS OFFICE
vi. HIS ACTIVITY FOR HIS FAITH
b. MOSES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ALSO HAD A SIMILAR MOMENT
i. HEBREWS 11:24–25 BY FAITH MOSES, WHEN HE HAD GROWN UP, REFUSED TO BE KNOWN AS THE SON OF PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER. 25 HE CHOSE TO BE MISTREATED ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD RATHER THAN TO ENJOY THE PLEASURES OF SIN FOR A SHORT TIME.
c. I NEED TO STOP EMBRACING THE ME I WAS AN EMBRACE THE ME I CAN BE FOR CHRIST
i. JESUS SAID IT THIS WAY, “CAN’T LOOK BACK AFTER PUTTING YOUR HAND TO THE PLOW.”
ii. TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME
d. WE CANNOT CLING TO AN OLD LIFESTYLE AND MAKE A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
i. MOST OF WHAT PAUL DID WAS GOOD, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PERSECUTING BELIEVERS
ii. EVERYTHING PAUL DID WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR HIS SALVATION AND STANDING BEFORE GOD
iii. A GOOD THING CAN BECOME A BAD THING IF IT KEEPS US FROM THE BEST THING.
1. PAUL UNDERSTOOD THIS
2. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT AS WELL
WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT ADOPTING AN OK LIFESTYLE IN LIGHT OF ALL JESUS DID FOR US.
II. ENCOUNTERING JESUS CHANGES ARE GOAL V.8
PHILIPPIANS 3:8 WHAT IS MORE, I CONSIDER EVERYTHING A LOSS COMPARED TO THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD, FOR WHOSE SAKE I HAVE LOST ALL THINGS. I CONSIDER THEM RUBBISH, THAT I MAY GAIN CHRIST
a. I NEED TO “CONSIDER”
i. WORD MEANS TO TAKE AN ACCOUNTING AND COME TO A CONCLUSION
ii. WHEN CHRIST ENTERED THE PICTURE, WHAT I WAS DOING WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOD AND NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR HEAVEN
b. OK IS NO LONGER OK
i. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 THEREFORE, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; THE OLD HAS GONE, THE NEW HAS COME!
ii. HEBREWS 11:17 BY FAITH ABRAHAM, WHEN GOD TESTED HIM, OFFERED ISAAC AS A SACRIFICE. HE WHO HAD RECEIVED THE PROMISES WAS ABOUT TO SACRIFICE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON,
A NEW LIFE IS EXACTLY THAT, A NEW LIFE!
c. UNDERSTANDING WHAT I LOST
i. THE WORD LOST HERE MEANS TO SUFFER BECAUSE I MADE A MISTAKE. IT IS ALSO USED TO DESCRIBE THE LOSS OF SHIP AND ITS CARGO
ii. THE FOCUS IS ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR ACTION.
1. I SUFFERED BECAUSE I MADE A MISTAKE
2. I LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE MY SHIP SUNK
iii. FOR US, THE LOSS COMES FROM NOT MAKING A DECISION TO FOLLOW CHRIST AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT ACTION
1. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE ABSOLUTE
2. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE IRREVOCABLE
3. COMPLETE LOSS AND NO REFUND
iv. IN LIGHT OF THE RESURRECTION, I NEED TO RETHINK MY LIFE IN TERMS OF CHRIST
1. WHAT I HAD WHEN COMPARED TO WHAT CHRIST OFFERS IS RUBBISH
a. DUNG
b. GARBAGE
c. REFUSE
2. ISAIAH SAID IT IS AS FILTHY RAGS – A VERY DESCRIPTIVE PHRASE. ASK ME LATER
III. WHAT WE GAIN FROM AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS V9-11
PHILIPPIANS 3:9–11 AND BE FOUND IN HIM, NOT HAVING A RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MY OWN THAT COMES FROM THE LAW, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST—THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES FROM GOD AND IS BY FAITH. 10 I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF SHARING IN HIS SUFFERINGS, BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH, 11 AND SO, SOMEHOW, TO ATTAIN TO THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.
a. GAIN FROM KNOWING
b. WE BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE CHRIST
i. BEYOND HEAD KNOWLEDGE
ii. FELLOWSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP
c. BEING FOUND IN HIM
i. BEFORE SALVATION PAUL BASED HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS BY ALL THE STUFF HE LISTED AS RUBBISH
ii. AFTER SALVATION PAUL UNDERSTANDS THAT HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IN GOD, NOT HIMSELF OR HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 GOD MADE HIM WHO HAD NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, SO THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.
iii. THE DEATH OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS AND THE RESURRECTION IS WHAT ALLOWS THE PERSON WHO TRUSTS IN JESUS TO MOVE FROM PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS TO GODLY RIGHTEOUSNESS
d. PAUL WANTS TO EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF A RESURRECTED CHRIST.
i. THIS IS THE POWER THAT ENABLES US TO LIVE A NEW LIFE
ii. THIS POWER COMES FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS THE AGENT OF THE RESURRECTION
iii. THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS OURS FOR THE YIELDING, NOT THE ASKING.
1. WE KNOW THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS RESIDENCE IN OUR LIVES. THIS HAPPENS AT SALVATION
2. WHAT WE NEED TO SEEK IS FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HAVE CONTROL OF OUR LIVES. THIS TAKES THE CONSCIOUS EFFORT OF YIELDING GREATER AND GREATER CONTROL TO HIM.
e. PAUL WANTS TO ENGAGE IN THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST
i. JESUS HAD DIVINE CONVICTION REGARDING THE CROSS
ii. PAUL IS LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT THE WORLD FOR JESUS, EVEN IF IT MEANT SOME HARD AND DIFFICULT TIMES.
iii. IT IS THOSE TIMES GOD DRAWS CLOSE. IT IS THOSE TIMES WHEN BELIEVERS ARE BLESSED.
iv. IT IS THESE TIMES WHERE THE POWER OF GOD IS MOST VISIBLE.
THE RESURRECTION IS WHAT ALLOWS ME TO GET SKIN IN THE GAME OF ETERNITY, AND IN EXPERIENCING THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST, WE GET TO BE PART OF HIS MINISTRY.
v. CHRIST SUFFERED BECAUSE HE KNEW WHAT IT WOULD BRING ABOUT AND HE KNEW WHAT WOULD BE FORFEITED IF HIS DID NOT.
f. TO ATTAIN THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD
i. PAUL IS NOT DOUBTING HIS SALVATION
ii. PAUL IS EXPRESSING HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE COMPLETED WORK OF CHRIST
WHEN YOU PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER/ WHAT MAKES EASTER SO IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT
• AN ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST IS LIFE CHANGING
• CHRIST BECOMES RELATIONAL, NOT JUST EDUCATIONAL
• CHRIST EMPOWERS US WITH THE ABILITY TO LEAD A NEW LIFE
• THE WORK OF CHRIST IN OUR LIVES GIVES US THE DRIVE TO SEE OTHERS COME TO KNOW HIM
• FINALLY, AN ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST GIVES US A CONFIDENCE FOR THE FUTURE
