The Lifelong Process Of Knowing Christ Series

THE LIFELONG PROCESS OF KNOWING CHRIST

PHILIPPIANS 3:10-11 THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, BEING CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH; 11 IN ORDER THAT I MAY ATTAIN TO THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.

INTRODUCTION: THE PROCESS OF KNOWING CHRIST IS A LIFELONG ENDEAVOR. KNOWING CHRIST IS MEANT TO BOTH DRIVE AND CONSUME OUR LIVES. TOO OFTEN, DISTRACTIONS AROUND US CAUSE US TO LOSE FOCUS ON TRULY KNOWING CHRIST. THE RESULT IS THAT WE SETTLE FOR SOMETHING FAR LESS, ALLOWING OURSELVES TO BECOME CONTENT WHERE WE ARE, AND IN THE PROCESS, MISSING A DEPTH OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD THAT SHOULD BE OURS.

THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THE WAYS WE ARE TO KNOW CHRIST.

PROPOSITION: WE NEED TO KNOW CHRIST BETTER.

I. KNOWING CHRIST THOUGH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

a. THE DISTINCTION OF CHRISTIANITY

i. WE HAVE A RISEN SAVIOR

ii. OUR GOAL THEN IS TO KNOW OUR RISEN SAVIOR

1. PERSONALLY

2. INTIMATELY

3. EXPERIENTIALLY

b. THE GOAL OF THE CHRISTIAN LIVING IS TO KNOW CHRIST

i. THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF THREE WAYS OF KNOWING SOMETHING

1. OIDA = "TO COMPREHEND MENTALLY." -- INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE

2. EPISTOMAI = "TO KNOW BY ACQUAINTANCE, BY FAMILIARITY, OR CONTRACT." -- CONTACT KNOWLEDGE

3. GINOSKEIN = "TO KNOW BY EXPERIENCE." THIS WORD INDICATES THE MOST INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF ANOTHER PERSON. – KNOWLEDGE AS A RESULT OF DEEP INVOLVEMENT

ii. GINOSKEIN IS THE TYPE OF KNOWLEDGE IN OUR TEST – TO KNOW BY EXPERIENCE

1. WE DO NOT REACH THIS LEVEL THROUGH BIBLE STUDY, PRAYER, OR FELLOWSHIP IN THE CHURCH

2. WE DO NOT REACH THIS LEVEL BY INTELLECT OF RAW KNOWLEDGE

3. WE REACH THIS LEVEL BY INVOLVING OUR LIFE IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST.

c. THE WAY ONE KNOWS CHRIST AT THE GINOSKO LEVEL

i. COLOSSIANS 3:1-2 THEREFORE IF YOU HAVE BEEN RAISED UP WITH CHRIST, KEEP SEEKING THE THINGS ABOVE, WHERE CHRIST IS, SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. 2 SET YOUR MIND ON THE THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THE THINGS THAT ARE ON EARTH.

1. MUST HAVE THE DESIRE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CHRIST

2. EXERCISE OUR MINDS TOWARDS CHRIST

3. SEEK WITH IMPULSE AND DIRECTION

ii. BY OUR DAILY PRACTICE TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST

iii. BY A CLOSENESS TO AND INTIMACY WITH CHRIST – LEVEL OF OUR INVOLVEMENT

IF YOU ARE HERE TODAY, YOU ARE EXPERIENCEING OIDA TODAY. YOU MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING EPISTOMAI TODAY, BUT YOU ARE NOT KNOWING CHRIST IN A GINOSKO FASHION!

II. KNOWING CHRIST THROUGH THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION

a. CONVERSION – COMING TO CHRIST IS DEFINED AS PASSING OUT OF DEATH AND INTO LIFE

i. SPIRITUAL DEATH TO SPIRITUAL LIFE

ii. DEAD TO UR SIN NATURE AND ALIVE TO A NEW LIFE

b. THE FIRST STEP IN CHRISTIAN GROWTH AND WALKING WITH CHRIST IS TO KNOW CHRIST AS SAVIOR.

c. LIVING IN RESURRECTION POWER IS ACHIEVED THROUGH BECOMING MORE DEAD TO THE WAYS OF THE WORLD AROUND US AND MORE ALIVE IN OUR CHRISTLIKENESS.

d. TOO OFTEN WE STRIVE TO LIVE THE CHRISTIN LIFE IN A “WHITE KNUCKLE MODE”

1 CORINTHIANS 2:14 BUT A NATURAL MAN DOES NOT ACCEPT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD, FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS TO HIM; AND HE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY APPRAISED.

ROMANS 7:19 FOR THE GOOD THAT I WANT, I DO NOT DO, BUT I PRACTICE THE VERY EVIL THAT I DO NOT WANT.

ROMANS 7:22-24 FOR I JOYFULLY CONCUR WITH THE LAW OF GOD IN THE INNER MAN, 23 BUT I SEE A DIFFERENT LAW IN THE MEMBERS OF MY BODY, WAGING WAR AGAINST THE LAW OF MY MIND AND MAKING ME A PRISONER OF THE LAW OF SIN WHICH IS IN MY MEMBERS.

24 WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM! WHO WILL SET ME FREE FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH?

i. THE RESULT OF WHITE KNUCKLE CHRISTIANITY IS THAT WE WILL FAIL. WHITE KNUCKLE FAILURE ALWAYS RESULTS IN GUILT

ii. PAUL UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE ARE THREE GREAT POWERS IN THE WORLD

1. THE THIRD GREAT POWER OF HIS DAY WAS THE ROMAN EMPIRE

2. THE SECOND GREAT POWER OF HIS DAY (AND OURS) IS THE POWER OF SIN

3. THE FIRST GREAT POWER OF HIS DAY (AND OURS) IS THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION

e. LIVING IN RESURRECTION POWER IS LIVING WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THROUGH CHRIST I HAVE THE ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE RESISTANCE OF SIN IN MY LIFE BECAUSE THIS POWER IS FAR SUPERIOR TO THE POWER OF SIN.

RESURRECTION POWER IS THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKING IN MY LIFE – ROMANS 8

NO CONDEMNATION

FREEDOM FROM THE LAW OF SIN

DIFFERENT MINDSET

III. KNOWING CHRIST THROUGH PARTICIPATING IN HIS SUFFERING

a. WHAT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT IS PARTICIPATING IN CHRIST’S SUFFERING FOR OUR SINS