DON’T SETTLE FOR MEDIOCRITY IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE.

Philippians 3: 7-14

(Phil 3:7 NKJV) "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ."

(Phil 3:8 NKJV) "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ"

(Phil 3:9 NKJV) "and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;"

(Phil 3:10 NKJV) "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,"

(Phil 3:11 NKJV) "if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

(Phil 3:12 NKJV) "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me."

(Phil 3:13 NKJV) "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,"

(Phil 3:14 NKJV) "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

 

A. We must have an unwavering desire to know Jesus.

The Amplified Bible states "that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly..."

  1. How can we know Him? We know Him by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said:

    2. (John 14:26 NKJV) ""But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

    (John 15:26 NKJV) ""But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me."

    (John 16:13 NKJV) ""However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."

    The Apostle Peter declared:

    (1 Pet 3:18 NKJV) "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,"

  2. What does He teach us about Jesus?
    1. About His obedience to His Heavenly Father.

      2. (John 6:38 NKJV) ""For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."

      (John 14:9 NKJV) "Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"

      (Luke 22:42 NKJV) "saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."

    2. About His love for people.

      3. (John 13:1 NKJV) "Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end."

      (John 15:9 NKJV) ""As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."

      (John 15:12 NKJV) ""This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

      (Eph 5:2 NKJV) "And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."

    3. About His forgiveness.

      4. (Luke 23:33 NKJV) "And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left."

      (Luke 23:34 NKJV) "Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots."

      (Eph 1:17 NKJV) "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,"

      (1 John 1:9 NKJV) "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

    4. About His compassionate heart.

(Mat 9:36 NKJV) "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd."

(Mat 14:14 NKJV) "And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick."

(Mat 20:34 NKJV) "So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him."

(Mark 1:40 NKJV) "Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean.""

(Mark 1:41 NKJV) "Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed.""

(Mark 1:42 NKJV) "As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed."

(Luke 7:11 NKJV) "Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd."

(Luke 7:12 NKJV) "And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her."

(Luke 7:13 NKJV) "When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep.""

(Luke 7:14 NKJV) "Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise.""

(John 11:34 NKJV) "And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see.""

(John 11:35 NKJV) "Jesus wept."

(John 11:36 NKJV) "Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!""

 

  1. We must learn to live in the power of His resurrection.
  1. Not just the power which stunned the Roman guards and moved the great stone.
  2. Rather, the power which overrules death and decay (sin) --- the power which annuls satanic braggadocio – the power which validates Christian living.
  3. A present time – life changing power.
  4. Listen to these tremendous scriptures:

(Rom 8:11 NKJV) "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."

(Eph 2:1 NKJV) "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,"

(Eph 2:6 NKJV) "and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"

(John 11:25 NKJV) "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live."

 

  1. We must yield to the shaping and molding purposes of suffering.
  1. He suffered the reproach and disapproval of the world.
  2. He was disappointed by those whom He trusted.
  3. His person and His message were rejected.
  4. He engaged in spiritual warfare.
  5. He died for people who hated Him and discarded His life.
    1. How can we understand suffering in a positive outlook?
    2. Listen to these revealing scriptures.

(James 5:10 NKJV) "My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience."

(Mat 5:11 NKJV) ""Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake."

(2 Cor 4:11 NKJV) "For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."

 

  1. We must comprehend the deep meaning of His death. What kind of death did Jesus die? Crucifixion ? Yes, but look deeper.
  1. It was a transforming death.

    2. (2 Tim 1:7 NKJV) "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

    (2 Tim 1:8 NKJV) "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,"

    (2 Tim 1:9 NKJV) "who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,"

     (2 Tim 1:10 NKJV) "but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,"

    (Rev 1:17 NKJV) "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last."

    (Rev 1:18 NKJV) ""I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death."

  2. It was a conquering death.

    3. (1 Cor 15:51 NKJV) "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed;"

    (1 Cor 15:52 NKJV) "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

    (1 Cor 15:53 NKJV) "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."

    (1 Cor 15:54 NKJV) "So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory.""

    (1 Cor 15:55 NKJV) ""O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?""

    (1 Cor 15:56 NKJV) "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law."

    (1 Cor 15:57 NKJV) "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

      

  3. It was a transitional death.

(Luke 24:36 NKJV) "Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, "Peace to you.""

(Luke 24:37 NKJV) "But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit."

(Luke 24:38 NKJV) "And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?"

(Luke 24:39 NKJV) ""Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.""

(Luke 24:40 NKJV) "When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet."

(Luke 24:41 NKJV) "But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, "Have you any food here?""

(Luke 24:42 NKJV) "So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb."

(Luke 24:43 NKJV) "And He took it and ate in their presence."

(Luke 24:44 NKJV) "Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.""

(Luke 24:45 NKJV) "And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures."

(Luke 24:46 NKJV) "Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,"

(Luke 24:47 NKJV) ""and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

(Luke 24:48 NKJV) ""And you are witnesses of these things."

(Luke 24:49 NKJV) ""Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.""

(Luke 24:50 NKJV) "And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them."

(Luke 24:51 NKJV) "Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven."

(Luke 24:52 NKJV) "And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,"

(Luke 24:53 NKJV) "and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen."

(Phil 3:21 NKJV) "who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

(1 John 3:1 NKJV) "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."

(1 John 3:2 NKJV) "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

 

Closing remarks:

We must stop trying to be like others . We must stop emulating their behaviors and their attitudes. We must stop being influenced by the world. We must stop adjusting our doctrines and shamefacedly bowing to the ideology of secularism.

We must develop an insatiable appetite for righteousness and a consuming desire to be like Jesus.

(Gal 2:20 NKJV) ""I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."