Know Him

Philippians 3:8-11
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
(9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
(10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Paul tells of the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord… To know Him is great cause for rejoicing. We can personally know Him.
God is incomprehensible - and yet He is knowable.
To know God is to know eternal life.
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

We are invited into His fellowship. It’s called the fellowship of His sufferings.
To Know Him and the the fellowship of his sufferings
• Consider His sufferings
• The pathway to Calvary
• Share in His pain
Believers can count it a privilege to be reproached and reviled as Christ was.
As believers we have the privilege to be made just like him, not only in glory, but in trial.
It may mean bearing a cross that is laid upon us…
• Walking in His steps
• Taking sufferings for His sake
• Giving way to Him and taking a difficult path
• Denying self.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

2. HIS DEATH
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.
In a spiritual sense we are… To conform…
• To calvary
• To the crucified life
• To surrender
• To sacrifice
• To put to death the old sin nature
• To live a life dedicated to go to the furthest extent of love and compassion and purpose.
We’ve seen our sweet communion with His suffering… a fellowship with Him, our blessed redeemer.
Our conforming to His death and our living a life dead to sin…
And also, on a brighter note, to KNOW HIM means… to experience…
…the power of his resurrection…
The women with sorrowful tred make their way to the tomb… When - Suddenly - an angel interrupts and announces…
Matthew 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
He is alive! Raised to life!
It’s Glory! It’s Victory…
• over sin
• over death
New life has begun!
We have sure hope. Glad hope.
A certain assurance.
It says, 2 Timothy 1:10 …our Saviour Jesus Christ… hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
He helps us…
• To walk in newness of Life
• To be raised up spiritually with Him
• To be identified with Him.
God’s Spirit’s power raises believers from spiritual death now.