THAT I MAY KNOW HIM
PHILIPPIANS 3:1-12
Key Verse: Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
Introduction:
Knowing Jesus Christ as Savior is just the beginning of your knowledge of Him. There is so much more to know about our Savior.
To trust Jesus is to know Him and to know Him is to trust Him. Most Christians know very little about their Savior and that is a shame. God the Father wants us to know Him and His Son much better.
I. HOW DOES ONE KNOW JESUS?
A. We know Him by faith, Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
1. We receive Him BY FAITH, John 1:12-13, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
2. We acquire ETERNAL LIFE by faith in Jesus, John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
B. We know Him by the TESTIMONY of the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:16, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
1. The Spirit of God has SEALED our salvation, 2 Corinthians 1:22, “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”
2. We have His pledge or GUARANTEE of eternal life, Ephesians 1:13-14, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
II. IF YOU KNOW JESUS YOU KNOW GOD THE FATHER
John 14:7, “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.”
A. Unbelievers in Christ DO NOT KNOW God the Father, John 8:19, “Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.”
1. They are WITHOUT GOD in this world, Ephesians 2:12, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”
2. They have NO HOPE outside of knowing Jesus Christ as Savior, 1 Peter 1:3, 21, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 21Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
B. Because of their unbelief, the Pharisees hated the Father because they hated Christ, John 15:24, “If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.”
1. By the works that Jesus did they should have believed in Him, John 5:36, “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”
2. Because of the works that God did in their midst they are INEXCUSABLE, Romans 1:20, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”
III. PROOF THAT WE KNOW HIM
A. We know Him if we keep His commandments, 1 John 2:3-5, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”
1. A TRUE BELIEVER will keep His commandments, 1 John 3:22, “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”
2. His love for us MOVES US TO OBEY, 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
3. By keeping His commandments His LOVE IS PERFECTED in us, 1 John 2:5, “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”
B. He has given us an understanding, 1 John 5:20, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”
1. To understand the Scriptures, Luke 24:45, “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,”
2. To know the ONLY TRUE God, John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
3. To speak of His Word WITHOUT being ASHAMED, Psalm 119:46-47, “I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. 47And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.”
CONCLUSION
To know Jesus Christ as your Savior is the greatest blessing known to man. He has given us that opportunity and much more. He has given us understanding in His Word to go beyond just knowing the Savior, to live for Him and to glorify Him in our lives each day.