EXCELLING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST

How the Nature of God forms in Us for the Accomplishment of the Church's Mission

Main Reading: Php 3:2-21 Heb 10:19-39 

 Excellence of knowledge comes by active appreciation and therefore application of your revelation of Jesus, to move beyond the second-hand or mere mental conceptions to experiential knowledge to your own testimony/confidence of Him, that has great reward. 

 Knowing Him holds exceedingly great value because He is:  

 1. God – One with ultimate power, at least gives you an idea of how to access authority. 

 2. Saviour – One who is able to forgive sins, at least puts you back in a blameless stead 

 3. Lord – One with all authority in Heaven and on Earth makes you direct participant in His power. 

Knowing What God has Done 

 1. God created all that there is (Gen 1, Psalm 146:6) 

 2. God showed His love and glimpses of His justice and grace to Adam and Eve (Gen 2,3) 

 3. God walked with and covenanted with Noah, Abraham, Israel (Gen 9:9-17; 15:18, Ex 19:5,6) 

 4. Sent and endorsed Christ (Jn 3:16, 17, Lk 3:22) 

Knowing Christ 

1. The Son of God, by virgin birth, who lived sinless in Palestine for 33 odd natural years, setting example in life that excelled the law of Moses. (Lk 1:35; 3:23, 1 Pe 2:22, Heb 4:15) 

2. The prophesied anointed suffering servant, the Son of God who opens the door with His body (death and resurrection) to make the following possible: 

a. Forgiveness of sins (Lk 24:47, Heb 9:22, Heb 10:4) 

b. Breaking the dominion of sin (Ro 6:17-18; 8:3,5) 

c. Granting divine son-ship and Holiest access to those who believed in Him (Jn 1:12, Heb 10:19,20) 

d. Removing the oppression of the law (Lk 11:46, Ro 6:14) 

e. Ushering in a grace period (for the gospel to be preached, repentant sinners to be saved and the saved to grow in the image of Christ – (Lk 24:47, Heb 9:27) 

How to Know Him

1. Come to /Agree with Him – Believe Him/ Believe His testimonies – Come unto me /Take yoke, study (learn of me – copy/read)
2. Talk to Him – Pray to/wait upon Him – Pray without ceasing (1Thess 5:16)
3. Walk/Work with Him – Follow His Commission actively in the Church with endurance – Let Him take up His cross (Mt 16:24) Will not come after me is unworthy of me (Mt 10:38)

Conclusion

One who really excelled through his knowledge of God was Paul. He accepted his sinfulness and always studied to agree with the Lord in whatever he did or said. He prayed even in his letters. He really did mileage on land and on sea, becoming all things for all men. (1 Cor 9:19-23).

       

He discovered in applying himself this faithfully the following rewards:

• Seeing nations turn to Christ, and
• Younger men rising to take up ministry,
• Growing versatility in the use of the gifts of the Spirit
• Growing excellence of character as he walked in the Spirit
• Diminishing anxiety about where his keep would come from
• Promised eternal life becoming ever clearer and more appealing

 He saw that these far exceeded what obtained under say a law practice per se. He therefore yearned for more walk with Jesus (Php 3:10) 

Song

Growing in me is His nature, the nature of my Father

Growing in me is the nature of Him who gave me new birth

To be like Him in every way; to be like Him alone

Growing in me is the nature of my Father in Heaven

(Song in Twi)

Na Ne suban renyin me mu, m’Agya Ne suban

Na Ne suban renyin me mu, Nea  ɔwoo ne foforo no

Na m’asε N’ ade nyinaa m’, na m’asε Ɔno nkutoo

Na Ne suban renyin me mu, m’Agya a ɔwɔ soro no