R sbc
Date:
Series: Christ The Sum & The Substance of The Bible
Sermon # 56
Subject: “To Be Found In Him”
Text: Php 3-1-14
Intro: The warnings that Paul gives in the first part of this chapter still apply today. Many of the characters that Paul has reference to in this passage are alive and well in our world today.
His warnings...vs 2
His position.. vs 3
His explanation of that position..vs 4-7
His willingness to sacrifice..vs 8
My main thought this morning is to focus on what he said in our text verse “To be found in Him”..vs 9 There can be no question as to the great biblical truths why Paul had such a desire and why we should this morning...
Daniel said he would bring in everlasting righteousness: Daniel 9-24
The Apostle John said if we sin we have an advocate Jesus Christ the righteous: I Jn 2-1
His grace flows from his righteousness.. Psa 116-5
He is called by Jeremiah the Lord our righteousness...Jer 23-6
Hebrews calls him the King of Righteousness...Heb 7-2
It is so clear in the study of this chapter that Paul is not relying upon any of his past so-called righteous acts. It behooves all of us here this morning never to rely upon our past religious dealings are who we are or not..but upon Christ and his righteousness... Oh to be found in him is the greatest blessing a sinner can have..
I WILL CONFINE MY SELF TO TWO MAIN THOUGHTS THIS MORNING, WHY DID PAUL WANT TO BE FOUND IN HIM, WHY SHOULD WE WANT TO BE FOUND IN HIM”
I.. BECAUSE CHRIST IS THE EMBODIMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS...
1st. He is the entire expression of it:
Romans 3-21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
2nd. He is the complete and entire exhibition of it:
When you define righteousness here what we come up with: integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling, and acting... So we see the exhibition of it in all that Christ did...
Since he was righteous then it stands to reason that what he did was righteous whatever it was. That it was a complete display of his pure heart..Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Romans 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
3rd. He is the source, and the substance and the spring through which flows righteousness to all whom God brings to him:
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Since Christ is all that the Bible says he is and more then we can understand clearly why Paul wanted to found in him... The great prophet Isaiah spoke of the righteousness of the LORD over sixty times in his writings...
Isaiah 53-11 “My righteous servant”
Jeremiah 23-5 “ The righteous branch”
Mal 4-2 “Son of righteousness that was to rise with healing in his wings”
Psa 40:9 “ The preacher of righteousness”
Heb 1-8 “ That his sceptre is one of righteousness”
II... WHY SHOULD WE WANT TO FOUND IN CHRIST”?
Let me assure you this morning that we will never reach a perfection in this world, nor will be sinless, nor will God except our little works of righteousness... but there are some clear unremovable facts about those of us who say that we are saved this morning...these truths are recorded in the writings of John...
1ST. Because the new birth requires it:
I John 2-28 ¶ And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
John is not saying that if you do righteous acts you will be born again, but because you are born from above you will do righteous acts. The first righteous act that a saved person perform is baptism...
Our nature has been changed so it stands to reason that we will show it: 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2nd. Because of the hope that he has instilled in us:
I John 3-1 ¶ Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Look at verse 20-21 of this chapter. Paul called it the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our Great God the LORD JESUS CHRIST....we do not want to face our Lord with what we accumulate in life...
Matt 7-21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
3rd. Because of The work of Christ, It should stimulate us to work righteousness...
I John 3:5 “ And ye know that he was manifested to tale away our sins; and in him is no sin...
May I remind us this morning that the work of Christ was no afterthought with the LORD, that it was not the final plan in many tries to save man... listen to what the scriptures say of his work.
(A.) That it was an eternal work:
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
(B.) That it was a work that was well designed:
Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
(C.) That it was a finished work:
John 19-28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost
4th. Because we desire or should desire fellowship with him:
1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
5th.. Because of the faith that the Lord hath given us:
We know that faith is the gift of God: Eph 2-8-9 that once faith has been given that sinners can exercise it in Christ... look at some of the examples of what I am talking about this morning...
(a.) God gave Abraham faith:
Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
(b.) The children of Israel:
Exodus 4:31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
(D.) David said:
Psalms 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
If there is no faith in you this morning, it is because there is no work of God in you. The Jews ask Jesus a question listen to it:
John 6-28 ¶ Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Let me close this morning by asking the most important question and you must answer it, do you desire Christ this morning? Do you want to found in him? If so that is great, if not that is sad!
Come to Christ just as you are, bring all your sins, all your filthiness, all your unworthiness, but don’t bring your works of righteousness to settle your sin problem, it want work.