“ THAT I MAY KNOW HIM”
Text : Phillipians 3: 7- 14
Main focus of our sermon tonight will be in verse 10 “That I may know him”.
Paul knew and valued the knowledge of The Lord Jesus Christ. But through this knowledge of him brought a greater desire to increase, in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. This knowledge was the subject of his teaching and preaching everywhere. He wish to know Christ increasingly no matter the cost, the sacrifices, the sufferings or afflictions For these were all light and consider as waste to him now, in comparison to the increase enlighten knowledge of Jesus Christ. For this was Paul passion and purpose in his works. To become as Christ and to know the fulfillment for which GOD called him.
CH Spurgeon wrote about the woman with the issue of blood. “ She that touch the tassel of his robe had a knowledge of Christ deeper and truer by far than the crowds that thronged about him: for “ virtue” ( morality, goodness and righteousness) had come out of him and she felt it in her.” Notice also that in the crowd was the disciples and yet this woman knew Christ better than them, for she desired and believe in just the touch of his garment. Not only through her faith and trust was she healed but goodness and righteousness filled her up. She had spent all that she had in vain. It was a loss but just one touch of Jesus Christ was all it took to be healed. This is the excellency of Christ. Oh church That I may Know Him!!!!!!!!!
Definition of the word Know; To perceive directly as fact or truth: To believe to be true: to be certain of: to be familiar with or experienced.
1) In order to know Christ we must first believe that he is the way, the truth and the life. We must realize and understand He is the first and the last The alpha and omega the beginning and the end. We must have faith in Christ.
Hebrews 11: 1 “ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11: 3 Through faith we understand (we have the knowledge of) that the worlds were framed by the word of GOD, so that things which were not made of things that do appear.
Hebrews 11: 6 “ but without faith it is impossible to please him. For he who cometh to GOD must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
We must believe that GOD sent his only begotten son that whosoever believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
We must believe Jesus Christ through his obedience to GOD his father came to earth and for his love for all humanity died a cruel death bearing all our sins and shame. Jesus Christ through his death and resurrection brought life and defeated death to all that believe in him. We are then justified back unto GOD, to be reconciled back to GOD, back into the divine nature for which man was created. Genesis 1: 26 “ And GOD said, let us make man in our image after our likeness.” Through faith we are made righteousness of GOD through Christ. This is the first and most important step to gaining the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The first step in getting to know him. We must believe in our relationship with Christ that it brings life and more abundantly. That he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. He will reward then and restore them in all the beauty of the “GARDEN OF EDEN” for which man was created to enjoy and have dominion over.
THE COURTSHIP
The time in which I began to get know by wife and began to want a life long relationship with her. In today’s world it is called dating, but in the older generations it was called courtship. Please notice the difference between the two definitions; Dating, to make an social appointment with. Not a means of developing a lasting relationship but just appointment for a social outing, a get together to have fun. Courtship: condition or time of courting in order to marry. Please do not take me wrong I am not against dating. I believe this is the first step to see if a relationship is right. I believe young people need to understand that dating is not truly a commitment. To many couples today are going straight from dating to marriage forgetting the courtship period of the relationship. That is one of the leading cause for marriages to fall today for there is not a true commitment nor has there been a time to establish true faith in one another.
This is also the reason for so much failure with Christians turning away or divorcing Jesus Christ. They never step up from the dating with his promises, with his blessing into the true courtship with Christ. The true commitment and engagement for the wedding, they want to have the social gathering, the shouting and rejoicing but then go back into the world I am who I am and this is my life and time now. They are somewhat wooed by the dating but yet are unwilling to make a true commitment, to step into the courtship with Jesus Christ. It is now that the church and all it members unite together in the courtship of our lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is time people realize the difference between dating and the courtship of him.
When Wendy and I was “dating” I began noticing something, I wanted to be with her more and more. I was willing to sacrifice time that I had for other things that I thought were so dear, to spend time with her. See I had entered into a Courtship with her. I had made a commitment and some what was unaware of it. I thought baseball was the greatest thing going in my life. I loved it. Every chance I got I would be playing it. But when I started seeing Wendy it suddenly did not mean as much to me and I did not realize it. It just was not important. I can remember getting jobs but not keeping then because my heart was playing baseball and to do other sports. But when I started seeing her I wanted to do things with her and realizing it took money. The job seemed as the natural thing to do. I wanted to buy her things and take her places. I wanted to please her. I was really to sacrifice things for her pleasures.
II CHRONICLES 11: 16 “ AND AFTER THEM OUT OF ALL THE TRIBES OF ISREAL SUCH AS SET THEIR HEARTS TO SEEK THE LORD GOD OF ISREAL. CAME TO JERUSALEM, TO SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD GOD OF THEIR FATHERS.”
The intents of our hearts speak through the actions or works that we perform. To have knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ requires us to make sacrifices of our fleshly natures. It requires us to lay down every weight and sin that easily besets us. The things we longed to do and our schedules will be changed to center around the Lord Jesus Christ, to know him more and more. To long and want to be in his presence to lift up his name, to want to live in way to please him, regardless of the things we must give up. See things we give up for our relationship with him benefits us in knowing the excellency of Christ. Paul states all things a loss ( gone forever) these were just a waste considering the true purpose for which he was born. What are you willing to sacrifice to win more knowledge of Jesus. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his most prize procession his son Issacs. But realize though in his willingness he had the knowledge of that GOD would bless him for obedience and raise his son again. He realized the glory of his sacrifice would be far better than the sacrifice itself.
GENESIS 17:1 And when Abraham was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared unto him, I am the Almighty GOD; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
GENESIS 17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee and will multiply thee exceedingly.
GENESIS 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
Abraham had all faith in GOD and loved him more than anything else including his own son. He was willing to give all for just as Paul, Abraham realized the importance of truly knowing the lord. That he had not yet apprehended the Glory for which he was created, to live forever with GOD almighty.
Just as I was with my relationship with my wife in our courtship. I realize the more I was willing to sacrifice of my time for her, to try and please her the more love I felt, the more joy I had, the more I long for us to spend our lives together. So nothing else matter in this world at that time then making her my wife.
We must have that same willingness to give up our favorite things to do. Are we willing to sacrifice our time of recreations in the getting to know our LORD JESUS CHRIST, to try and obtain that perfect relationship with him. He knows our hearts and desires. He knows if you long for greater knowledge of him. To know the fullness of Christ to know a love beyond man depth of conception.
JOHN 15:13 “ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethen, by the mercies of GOD, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto GOD, which is your reasonable service.
What are you willing to sacrifice?
Faithfulness, Is the very key to continuation of the courtship of the knowledge of Jesus Christ it is the very key to your love for GOD, your devotion to his word, your separation from the things of this world to be holy as he is holy. Holiness is the very definition of faithfulness.
John Wesley definition of Holiness: The state in which GOD is love with your heart and power. In which you are willing to lay all down including your very life for the love of GOD. Sure sounds like faithfulness to me.
I PETER 1:14 “ AS OBEDIENT CHILDREN, NOT FASHIONING YOURSELVES ACCORDING TO THE FORMER LUSTS IN YOUR IGNORANCE.
I PETER 1:15 “ BUT AS HE WHICH HATH CALLED YOU IS HOLY, SO BE YE HOLY IN ALL MANNER CONSERVATION.
I PETER 1: 16 “BECAUSE IT IS WRITTEN, BE YE HOLY; FOR I AM HOLY.”
I heard people say when they got saved or back unto GOD, I not doing that any more but they keep a hold of it just in case. Is that not keeping a hold of lusts in the past. They are not really willing to truly commit unto the lord in the knowledge of his perfect way. I heard a person say I do not listen to that music anymore but will not get rid of their cd’s, in case they can not make it or less they will want to listen to them again. Is that true commitment or courtship? No, they have a form of GODLINESS but denying the power thereof and from such turn away. Because they are unwilling to truly commit to him.
I would not have wanted Wendy to keep friends with others of whom she once dated in order IN case this marriage doe not work out. There is still so and so. How many here would have married their spouse in such circumstances. No one would have in they’re right mind. Yet that truly happens in lot of marriages today. People marriage one with their eyes upon some else. Why do we expect Christ to ask less of us if we ask this of our spouse. How much more should we be faithful in all works being holy fully separated and committed to making Christ our lord and master of our lives for eternally. We must be faithful in our appearances, in walk, in our talks, in every thing we do letting the world know we are engage to Christ Jesus and soon to be married. We are not after worldly lust or gains for our lust is for more knowledge of Jesus Christ to be as one as he is one with the father. Through the Holy Ghost within us we are able to know and feel his love and desire to be with us. Oh that I may know him should be our cry in anything we do. Is their anything worth coming between you and the knowledge of Jesus Christ in your lives?
We are in a courtship getting ready for the marriage of Christ our groom. His bride must be pure, undefiled, in total love with and faithful beyond everything else in their lives.
Wendy and I are celebrating our 16 years of marriage. We are more in love with each other today than when we first got married. WHY or HOW? Because we know each other better and have a greater knowledge of our love for each other.How? Because through the years we have had some hard times where we had to trust one another, be there for each other. To help each other when no one else knew how because we had more knowledge of the hurt and how to help. Bible refers to the husband and wife becoming one flesh. This takes time and effort, it does not happen over night. Through 16 years it has taken a continuation of sacrifices, faithfulness, and commitment to grow together. We have had to become more knowledgeable of each other. I can honestly say my wife knows me better than anyone other than GOD himself my creator. I am sure she will tell you the same of me. But it has taken time and trust in each other. But still today she and I will tell you that we have to strive for that perfect oneness in each other. If one let downs we can grow apart. We have not yet apprehended that vow unto death does us part. For this cause we are still learning each other and being faithful to each other. I can say honestly falling over in love each day. Our marriage is not perfect but we are striving for it. WHY for blessings that we give each other.
I CORINTHIANS 15: 58 “ THEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETHEN, BE YE STEDFAST, UNMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, FORASMUCH AS YE KNOW THAT YOUR HEART LABOR NIT IN VAIN IN THE LORD.”
Therefore children of GOD just because you went on for several years or just a few months keep striving, keep abounding in his love, keep growing in his grace ( divine favor) his enlighten knowledge of his ways. For you know that your heart’s labor is not in vein. Trust GOD, seek his righteousness, Seeking to glorify and lift up his precious name. For he is a rewarder of them that seek his face. Oh to know him in all his glory, in all his greatness, in all his awe, and to reach perfection in Christ Jesus.
They say that married couples through the years even began to look like each other in their faces and expressions. Oh to be as one flesh.
Is this not the very desire of all true Christians who are abounding in the grace and knowledge of our lord and savior Jesus Christ. Therefore let us realize like Paul, we have not yet attained the true fullness of the knowledge of Christ. We have not reach the perfection in the body Jesus Christ. We have not already attained all his fullness and glory. But fore this cause I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of GOD in Christ Jesus. The rapturing and glorification unto GOD through Christ Jesus, To be totally restore unto the glory for which we were created.
Let us cry as David
PSALMS 25:4 SHEW ME THY WAYS, O LORD: TEACH ME THY PATHS.
PSALMS 24:5 LEAD ME IN THE THY TRUTH, AND TEACH ME : FOR THOU ART THE GOD OF MY SALVATION; ON THEE DO I WAIT ALL THE DAY.”
“OH TO KNOW HIM”
I
