PRESSING FORWARD!

Philippians 3:10, 13-14

INTRODUCTION

The focus of the church should not be so much upon doing (that is pressing toward) but of being (that is knowing Him). For before we do, we must first be. We often mistakenly equate activity for spirituality! Spirituality is not so much doing something for Him as being something in Him. Some times because we are not “being in Him” we try to make up for it by “doing for Him”. In other words, we try to make it happen.

A good illustration of this truth is described by the characteristics of Mary and Martha. Martha was a “doer” and Mary was a “be-r”. One was “troubled about many things” and the other “had chosen the good part!”

So, before we “do” something for God, make sure that first we choose wisely the “good part” of “being” something for God!

MAIN BODY (Philippians 3:10)

I. “That I may know Him”

A. Greek: ginosko= to know experientially Note that it is not to know about Him but rather to know HIM!

B. Is this to say that Paul did not know Jesus? No, for he had already given his firm testimony when he exclaimed: “ I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that

C. He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”

D. Paul wanted to know Jesus in a personal, relational way not just an historical, factual way. He wanted to know Jesus experientially. And the only way one can have this kind of “knowing relationship” is to be with a person daily, moment by moment. You learn this by walking together just as the disciples on the Emmaus Road when they asked Jesus to “abide with them.” Jesus broke bread with them and it was then that their eyes were opened and they knew (ginosko) Him.” No wonder they exclaimed, “Did not our hearts burn within us as He walk with us in the way?”

II. “And the power of His resurrection”

A. Greek: dunamis = released energy, ability, power

B. Romans 8:11 “The Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you!”

C. Paul wanted to know experientially the “power” that raised Jesus from the death and as we have just seen in the Scripture that the “power” is the Spirit of God! Thus if we are to know experientially this “power”, we must first of all know that the Spirit dwelleth in us. Secondly, we must be empowered by the Spirit. Thirdly, we must learn to walk in the Spirit and be led by the Spirit.

III. “And the fellowship of His suffering, being made comformable to His death.”

A. Greek: koinonia = sharing in common, communion, “Two fellows in the same ship!” pathema = suffering, bodily condition, a state of being affected by death summorphoo = To make of the same form thanatos = death

B. Again, the best commentary on Scripture is the Scripture! In Galatians 2:20 it states, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

CONCLUSION

In “knowing Him” as Paul described in Philippians 3:10 , one is then ready to “do for Him” as described in Philippines 3:13-14.