Gospel Bible Baptist Church

Philippians 3:10

Introduction

As I read this text, my mind keeps wondering whether, how will I be explaining it? Paul wants to know more about Christ. He knows Christ already as his Saviour. I think that the knowledge Paul wants was experiential knowledge. To be more intimate with the Lord that is what we should aim for. Many people knows about Christ, almost all people, religion, race, etc., knows him. However, they have no personal relationship with Him. Aside from intimate knowledge about the Lord, Paul also wants to know 3 more things, namely:

I. The Power of the Resurrection
A. The meaning of power here is force, specially, miraculous power, ability, strength. It is the word from which we get the English word “dynamite”. But the idea in Greek “dunamis” is not dynamite but “dynamo” – a power that is always resident, and the ability to overcome resistance.
B. When I think of power, I imagine the power of the atomic bomb and other weapons of mass destruction which can kill millions and obliterate cities.
C. In my honest opinion, one of the greatest powers in the world is resurrection. Resurrection has the power to give life to the dead, while weapons of mass destruction have only the power to destroy. Resurrection breaks the power of the grave. We can victoriously say now “O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? 1 Cor. 15:55.
D. Resurrection guarantees that everyone will rise too, the righteous to eternal life, the wicked to everlasting punishment.
E. Resurrection sets Christianity apart from other faith. We have a risen saviour while others have not. It is where Christianity stands or falls, and is the centre of the gospel itself (Rom. 4:24-25, 10:9; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). It yields the greatest encouragement to the hopes and expectations of genuine Christians.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
F. Paul teaches us the importance of this event, for if Jesus did not literally rise from the dead, then the entire Christian faith is:
1. vain (v. 14). 1 Cor. 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
2. and ineffective (v. 17) 1 Cor. 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
3. Also, preaching is valueless (v. 14),
4. Christian testimony is false (v. 15), 1 Cor. 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
5. no sins have been forgiven (v. 17),
6. and believers who died have perished (napahamak) (vs. 18). 1 Cor. 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
7. Apart from this event, Christians are the most miserable of all people (v. 19). 1 Cor. 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
8. Paul even tells that without the resurrection “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (v. 32). 1 Cor. 15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
G. I would say that the power of resurrection that Paul wants to know is the newness of life from the risen Christ as mentioned in Rom. 6:4, 2 Cor. 5:17. Only God can give life and this power within us through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Illustration/Application:
When the apostles saw the risen Christ, they became brave and bold in their testimony that they are not afraid of anything anymore even death. Their life was renewed from being cowardice to being courageous. The power that brought Jesus up from the grave is the power now residing in believers. Do you think you have that power?

II. The Fellowship of His sufferings:
A. Fellowship is partnership or communion

1. Sharing in Christ’s suffering is the lot or portion of every Christian. This is not partnership with the sufferings of Christ upon the cross (substitutionary suffering). Some people think or want to share the suffering of Christ on the cross as if they could contribute to Christ’s atoning work. It’s not scriptural, don’t even think about it. Only Jesus Christ was qualified to die our sins.
2. God had used Ananias to tell Paul that this is precisely what he would do as a servant of Christ. Acts 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. The apostle did indeed suffer for Christ because he represented Him so openly and truly (Rom. 8:36; 2 Cor. 4:10).
   Romans 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
   2 Corinthians 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
3. Paul knew that it was a privilege to suffer for Christ (Phil 1:29).
   Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
4. In fact, suffering had been a part of his experience from the very beginning (Acts 9:16). As we grow in our knowledge of Christ and our experience of His power, we come under the attack of the enemy. Paul had been a persecutor but he learned how to be persecuted. We will all be persecuted also, hated, rejected, insulted, laughed, even branded as fools. We will also suffer many things but in different degrees. Some will suffer more, some less.
5. “Such fellowship in the sufferings of Christ includes a turning from sin, and the death of self. It may involve much hardship for the sake of Christ. For Paul it finally meant martyrdom.” (CHARLES ERDMAN)

Illustration/Application:
Not many of us are called to suffer seriously for Christ. Few of us will die for Christ. Most of Christians nowadays would not even leave their “comfort zone”. Very few would go to mission fields which would deprive them of all the ease and luxury they are now enjoying. I heard about a pastor who tells his church, he wants to go on mission to London or Paris if not New York, and he wants to bring his family with him. His request of course was rejected.

III. Being made conformable unto his death
A. The word conformable means “to render like” in other words to take the same form as his death. This means two things:

1. Paul wants his old sinful self to be crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6, Gal. 2:20, 5:24).
   Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Galatians 2:20 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.
Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

2. Paul is ready to die every day together with Christ (1 Cor. 15:31). He writes “always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus” (2 Cor. 4:10-11).
   B. To be conformed to His death means not only bearing the external hardships but inwardly also the crucifixion of our own selves and the mortification of the deeds of the body (Rom. 8:13).
   C. For walking with Christ was also a practical experience (“being made conformable unto His death”). Paul lived for Christ because he died to self (Rom 6 explains this); he took up his cross daily and followed Him. The result of this death was a spiritual resurrection (Phil 3:11) that caused Paul to walk “in newness of life” (Rom 6:4). Paul summarizes this whole experience in Gal 2:20, so take time to read it.

D. The basis upon which we can be conformed to His death is the fact that we all as Christians died with Christ on the cross. When He died on the cross we died with Him and so we were set free from sin. His death was applied to us when we first trusted in Christ. We died in Him on the cross so that He can live with us.

IV. Conclusion:
Knowing Christ intimately includes the knowing the power of His resurrection, which is for me the newness of life in Him. We must have fellowship
also with His sufferings and be conformed to His death. Are you willing to know Christ more? You should. It’s the best thing in life.