“The Christian Must Know Christ” Philippians 3: /18/2007 Dr. Dane Boyles

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  Introduction What does a Christian have to know? What does the Christian have to know above everything else? There are many answers to the first question, but there is only one answer to the second.

“The Christian Must Know Christ” But when all of that is said and done, the one thing that makes all the others possible is knowing Christ. If we are to be a Christ-centered church, if we are to be a church that lifts up Christ to the world, we must be a church that knows who Jesus is.

“The Christian Must Know Christ” If we are intent on being the “church of Christ” in more than just name, we must be a church that knows Jesus.

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  What Jesus Saw to Be Important in Producing Disciples. The way Jesus made his disciples. “Come follow me and I’ll make you fishers of men” (Matt 4:19).

“The Christian Must Know Christ” For three years, the disciples’ primary duty was to walk with Jesus, and get to know Him.  But how do we do that?  “Knowing Jesus” is not simply having access to a certain piece of information.

“The Christian Must Know Christ” Paul--the making of a disciple.  Paul is a good example of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  But his fleshly credentials did not make him a Christian.

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  When Jesus wanted to make a disciple out of Paul, he forced Paul to meet Him, to look at Him, and ask the question, “Who are you, Lord?”  Jesus revealed himself to Paul—that and that alone had the power to turn a Saul into a Paul

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  Paul’s Desire to Know Christ. Paul’s “Profit.” 24 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. (Matt 16:24-26, NIV)

“The Christian Must Know Christ” 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-27, NIV)

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  Paul’s Reassessment.  That’s what Jesus does!  A real encounter with Jesus provokes a change of heart.

“The Christian Must Know Christ” 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:6, 8, NIV)

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  Paul could have been content to go on as he had been, valuing the same things, pursuing the same course.  Meeting Jesus changed him!

“The Christian Must Know Christ” 7 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. (Phil 3:7-8a, NIV)

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  The very thing which before he had seen as “worthless” (the message of Jesus) he now sees as the only profit he desires.

“The Christian Must Know Christ” Paul’s New Values. 8 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. (Philippians 3:8-9, NIV)

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  To describe what he means He uses the Greek word skubala.  “Table scraps, manure, half-eaten corpses.”

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  Paul’s Gain. 8 the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Phil 3:8, NIV)  Paul’s Goal. –Not to profit from him or by him. –Paul is not interested in what he can get out of Christ.

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  The Necessity of Our Knowing Christ What do we value and put our confidence in?  If anyone has reason for confidence in the flesh, many of us do.  But the real temptation for our confidence is to appeal to:

“The Christian Must Know Christ” –The frequency of our church attendance. –The length of our membership in the church. –Our stand on particular issues. –Our evangelistic fervor.

“The Christian Must Know Christ”  The Need for Reassessment Something has to happen to us that radically alters the things in which some of us put so much confidence. Something must force us to look at Christ and ask the question, “Who are you, Lord?”

“The Christian Must Know Christ” 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. (Philippians 3:10-11, NIV)

“The Christian Must Know Christ” Philippians 3: /18/2007 Dr. Dane Boyles