Knowing God
Notes
Transcript
Knowing God
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 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, 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: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
This year's theme for Logos Bible Church is knowing God. We will study the Scripture and learn about God. Why?
Why should we know God?
If we do not know God, who are we worshipping?
If we do not know God, what would be the purpose of our lives?
If we do not know God, how are we to pray?
If we do not know God, how are we to proclaim His holy Name?
If we do not know God, how are we to comfort one another in and through God?
For a believer, the first and foremost desire ought to be to know God, to saturate ourselves in the Word of God so that we may know God.
When we face a new believer, we tell them to read the Gospel of John, for example. Why? So that they would know Christ. Or we tell them to read the Gospels altogether. Why? So that they would know Christ.
Similarly, it should be an important step for a believer to learn God so that our lives can bring glory and honor to Him as we approach a holy God in the most reverential way possible.
The best thing one can long for is not the riches of the world, or what he has, or what will come tomorrow, but to “know” God.
The best thing that would bring joy, peace, and comfort is not this world, but what GOD offers through His Word about Himself.
We must know that The knowledge of God is what truly completes a person.
The LORD made it clear in Jeremiah what he delights in. Look at Jeremiah 9:23-24
Thus saith the Lord,
Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Neither let the mighty man glory in his might,
Let not the rich man glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this,
That he understandeth and knoweth me,
That I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:
For in these things I delight, saith the Lord.
In Hosea 6:6, the LORD says, I do not desire burnt offerings or sacrifices, but the “knowledge of God.”
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice;
And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
In fact, in Hosea 4:6, the LORD used strong language to describe the state of Israelites at that time by saying – my people are destroyed because of the “lack of knowledge of God.”
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:
Because thou hast rejected knowledge,
I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me:
Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God,
I will also forget thy children.
In Psalm 119:12, the psalmist says:
Blessed art thou, O Lord:
Teach me thy statutes.
In Psalm 119:18, the psalmist says:
Open thou mine eyes,
That I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Why? What was his point of asking God to teach him and to open his eyes? So that he can understand God’s truth with an expectation that his heart would yield to God’s Word and his life would be transformed.
The result that we see when we try to learn and know God wholeheartedly is a transformed life.
Notice what Paul says in Philippians 3:7–10
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 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, 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: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
What is God wanting us to learn and do through this passage?
To Know God; to know Christ.
But, how can we know God and know Christ, our Lord?
By conditioning your heart to know Him (v.10)
By considering everything loss for the sake of Christ (v. 7)
So, how are we to know Christ?
By conditioning our hearts (v.10).
By conditioning our hearts (v.10).
Look with me at verse 10 – “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
What is the goal of Paul here? To know Christ. His longing is to know Christ.
Remember what Paul said in verse 6 – His loHis
His longing is to know Christ.
Remember what he said in Phil. 3:4-6
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
He conditioned his heart to know Christ; he prepared his heart to know God.
Think of Luke 10:38-42
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Mary and Martha’s story. Martha was so distracted with other things whereas Mary was doing the right thing. Why? Because she was longing to “know Christ.”
So we must “condition,” prepare our hearts to know Christ, who is our God.
How are we to know God?
By considering all loss for the “gain” of Christ (v. 7)
By considering all loss for the “gain” of Christ (v. 7)
Look with me at verse Phil. 3:7
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Paul says, whatever I thought of gain (keros) to me was, in fact, loss (zamia) for the sake of Christ. In other words, knowing Christ is a lot more worthwhile than anyone thinks.
However, we must know that knowing Christ is a two-sided fact. It includes suffering and resurrection. Therefore, Paul says the present suffering is “being conformed to his death.”
When he is raised up again, or believers are raised up again, then the present suffering would be conformed to glory.” Knowing Christ is worth it.
Whatever Paul gained was considered a loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. But how is Paul knowing Christ?
By participating in His suffering, by the power of Christ’s resurrection, which is to being conformed to death, but awaiting to be conformed to his glorified state at the resurrection.
So, are we to consider all loss for our advantage so that we may “gain” Christ for our advantage?
Illustration
Illustration: Imagine you are living in utmost poverty; no food, no necessities. Your life seems to have no future, no goal, hopeless, pointless. As days go by, you are weeping, crying out your heart for help; you are hoping that someone will come to your aid, but at the same time considering that hope as a hopeless one. Day by day, your life is going south; nothing good is happening; no one to consider you worthy, no one to come to your aid. You feel what you feel; you know what you are going through. At last, one day, you heard some footsteps; someone left something by your door. You try to gain some strength to see who came. But by the time you gained strength and tried to stand up and peak through the window, that “someone” left. You opened the door and found, to your surprise, food, and money in a box.
You wondered, Lord, who could this be? Who wants to attend my lifeless life and hopeless state? There came another day. Someone left fruits, food, clothes, blankets, and cash. In fact, at that time, you again tried to gain strength to see who it was so that you may thank that person; but you had no way to see that person. However, in your helpless state, you said thank you, Lord, for taking care of me. Then you thought, the Lord is good; no matter what happens, the Lord attends the needy as He promised through the Scripture.
Now, since that day, you are eagerly waiting to see when this person will come so that you may see, know, and thank that person.
Now, you must know that this is only a temporal saving work, however. If such a thing keeps us on our feet to see who is helping us; to know who is helping you, how much more should you see, how much more should you have a desire to KNOW the one who saved you? How much more should you strive to KNOW your Savior?
It would be a horrible feeling within us to know that someone was trying to help but was not able to thank that person. And so it would be equally horrible to know Jesus Christ saved us and not try to KNOW Him even more.
Christ said in John 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
What is your decision today and for the rest of your life? Would you strive to
What is your decision today and for the rest of your life? Would you strive to KNOW God?
Will you be willing to say: “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2)