That I may Know Him
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Pray for Sean for his trip to Ghana
Call up some people to discuss what Bible College has meant for them.
According to Wilmington theres 119 names for Jesus.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 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
9 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;
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
When Paul said what things where gain to him he counted loss.
Counted in some translations says considered. Paul didn’t wake up to this random conclusion that his previous life was lost.
It was a completed evaluation of his life before and now His life with Christ.
He deeply considered the accomplishments of his life and realize compared to what he’ll gain with Christ he will count everything he’s done outside of Christ lost.
Paul reflected on the Damascus road experience (Acts 9:1ff.). At that time he saw the foolishness of his past life and embraced a new way.
I love the way the NIV says it
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
Sometimes our greatest assets can be out greatest liabilities.
Essentially what he is saying the things that where once deemed as assets (the accomplishments, me being the Pharisee of Pharisee, me being a religious zealot my education ) are now deem liabilities if they keep me away from Christ.
And the things that you consider liabilities are now assets because it brings me closer to Christ.
Like this church is a liability I could be home sleeping
Or I could be out making money
Or I could be with my family.
So therefore church is a liability
Similar to the rich young ruler he had many assets. But those assets where liabilities.
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
Mark tell us that this man ran up to Jesus and fell on His knees.
So we see how devout he was and sincere.
He genuinely wanted a answer.
“The fact that the rich young ruler asked “what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life.”
Suggest that he was under impression that there was something good that he could do to obtain eternal life.
Although this man paid strict attention to the commands of God, he still felt as if he was coming short in some way.
Have you ever felt that way? Doing everything you can but not measuring up?
Exercise
Self help books/ even spiritual self help.
Sometimes we treat the Bible and church like self help
Kito diet.
But yet you still feel as if you come up short.
The rich young ruler didn’t know that nature of good that God demands!
That God demands the purest of all good that he didn’t possess.
17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
Jesus is masterful how He answers the question,
The rich young ruler is saying “what good thing…..…”
And Jesus leading is answer not with “what is good” but Who is good.
And theres only One that is Good. God is good!
Man is generally worried about the what makes them good. But God requires the Who. And only God is good!
So you and me can’t measure up to Gods standards.
But this man address Jesus as good but there are practically no examples in Jewish writings of a teacher being addressed as good.
So this man was engaging in thoughtless flattery.
When Jesus said why do you call me good, Hes not rejecting the fact that He’s divine. But he wants the rich young ruler to reflect on what good actually means.
18 He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’
19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
Everything that Jesus mentions are commands that are directly involving others.
The offence of others.
All of these are apart of the 10 commandments with the exception of “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
When he says I have kept all essentially what he is saying. “Good teacher tell me something I don’t know.”
Like I kept these from my youth but inside theres something I’m lacking.
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
“If you wish to be perfect.” If you wish to be complete!
If you are looking for wholeheartedness in Gods service.
God desire for each of us is wholeheartedness.
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
He wouldn’t ask for it if He didn’t think it was a possibility.
He doesn’t ask for your religious service but your heart.
He doesn’t ask for your duties or what you think you know but your heart.
He doesn’t ask for your money buy your heart.
What was in this guys heart was his identity of being the rich young ruler.
Christ is not asking for excuses but your heart.
If your still coming up with excuses your not ready.
When Paul got converted there was no more excuse he was sold out!
Jess said if you love me you’ll do what i say.
Some of us claim that we love God but we don’t do what He says.
I’m glad going into heaven isn’t based on our love for Him but His love for us.
These rich mans possessions where assets! And these assets where indeed liabilities which where keeping the rich young ruler from following Jesus.
When we read this the first thing we think about Jesus is wildlin out. Jesus doesn’t understand what Hes asking.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Sometimes your greatest assets become liabilities.
He seen the direction he was headed and at the root of it was rubbish.
This also further explains the idea that no one can choose Christ unless he reaches a negative conclusion about his own efforts.
Paul understood that his pursuits did not bring Him to Christ.
Therefore, knowing Christ was better than the combined value of his former life.
They lose nothing who gain Christ.
Samuel Rutherford