The Power of the Resurrection

Philippians 3:3-10

 

I.      Introduction - (Phil 3:10)

 

A.    The Power of the Resurrection simply is the power to change lives. People look for “miracles” and visions, and the supernatural, when the basis for my changed life is INTERNAL, and is already finished!

B.    A dead Saviour is no good to anyone. But a living Saviour is my ticket to everything I need in this life, and the next!

C.    The Apostle Paul is coming to the end of his life as he writes the letter to the Christians at Philippi. He has been a Christian for almost 30 years, and yet even as a mature Christian, he has one almost all-consuming desire: “to KNOW Christ more”, “to know the POWER of the resurrection more”, and “to know the fellowship that is found only in suffering.”

D.    Tonight, let’s focus in on what the resurrection of Christ energizes - it is the Power-Point of the Christian life!

 

II.    Message - The Power of the Resurrection of Christ (Phil 3:3-10)

 

A.    The Ressurection Provides the Victory Over My Flesh (3:3-6)

 

1.     No confidence any longer in the flesh - not in my own abilities: will power, goals - If Christ discarded His old body, being perfect, then I had better prepare to discard my body being very imperfect!

2.     This humbles the strongest! because it demonstrates that my flesh is the thing that gets me in the most trouble (Rom 8:7,8)

3.     Puts everything in perspective - everything I can do, God couldn’t care less about! The only thing that impresses God is the accomplishment of His Son, and whether you are trusting Him!

4.     So, the resurrection shows just how little God thinks of this body, of this life, of this world! Goes aginst this world’s view!

5.        Shows that the power of the resurrection is greater than the power of some sin in your life - There is NOTHING that you cannot do with Christ’s help (Phil 4:13)! But this kind of help is only available for those who seek to stay with it, and pay the price. In other words, GOD WON’T DO THE WORK FOR YOU. Only with you

 

B.    The Ressurection Prioritizes My Life (3:7,8)

 

1.     The Christian should realize that all the life before salvation was only a LOSS, and therefore he or she should cut their losses!

2.        When comparing your accomplishments with Christ, it all amounts to nothing more than DUNG - update THAT!

3.     To the Christian, there is NOTHING more important than:

 

a.     The excellency of just knowing Christ - It is not WHAT you know, but WHO you know that matters most!

b.     The opportunity of pleasing Him (2 Tim 2:3,4; Heb 11:6; Matt 25:20,21) - this is the fruit of real love - the desire to please someone!

 

4.     If Christ really is God, and really is alive, and really worhty of so much, we need to prioritize our lives around Him!

5.     So, don’t let ANYTHING come between your desire to know this LIVING Saviour, and your desire to please HIM!

 

C.    The Ressurection Is Sufficient for All My Situations (3:8)

 

Present Sufferings. Paul not only accounted everything as a loss, but also experienced the total loss of everything - not just theoretical! Paul had lost his retirement, family, his relationship with his own people, and everything that he had spent his life building and preparing for - gone! Yet Christ was sufficient to replace it all (Phil 4:19)

 

D.    The Ressurection Provides for My Salvation (3:9)

 

1.        Salvation is IN Christ - not IN a Church

2.        Salvation involves rejecting your own righteousness - trying to keep the law

3.        Salvation is found only in the righteousness of God which is obtained ONLY by faith in Christ Jesus! God GIVES His righteousness to those who simply and completely trust His Son!

 

E.     The Ressurection Enables A Personal Relationship with My Saviour (3:10)

 

1.        Drives me to want to get to know HIM better and better

2.        Drives me to want to get to know the limit (power) of my victories

3.        Drives me to want to get to know what kind of fellowship that I CAN have with the God of this universe - if I am just willing to go through ANYTHING to get close to Him - like 3 Hebrew children

 

III.   Conclusion - To Enjoy The Power of the Resurrection:

 

A.    Plug Into the Victory Over Your Flesh (3:3-6)

B.                Prioritize Your Life (3:7,8)

C.    Rest In Jesus Christ Being Sufficient for All Your Situations (3:8)

D.    Find Salvation only In A Living Saviour (3:9)

E.                Maintain A Personal Relationship with Your Saviour (3:10)