What Christ Means to the Christian

What Christ Means to the Christian
Philippians 3:1-21

Sermon by Jack Nazary - Ebenezer Baptist 2002

"I count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."

Introduction: To know Christ was Paul's determined purpose not only for his own edification, but that he might make Him known - Acts 16:10 - It could not be otherwise for those that truly know the Lord in the intimate way expressed in these verses must inevitably lead to a deep seated purpose to make him known to a needy world.

I. Christ is our confidence - Philippians 3:1-6
1. Paul repudiates sacramental efficacy - verse 2
2. Paul repudiates the religious import honored parent age - verse 5
3. Paul repudiates religious authority - verse 5b
4. Paul repudiates intense earnestness - verse 6
5. Paul repudiates the worth of ceremonial blameness - verse 6b

II. Christ is our hope - Philippians 3:7, 8
1. The paradox of losing in order to gain
2. Hope is not in things but in Christ

III. Christ is our righteousness - Philippians 3:9
1. Righteousness through Christ
2. Righteousness by faith
3. Righteousness of God

IV. Christ is our inspiration - Philippians 3:10-14
1. Inspiration of knowledge - verse 10-11
2. Inspiration of attainment - verse 12-14
a. There is obliteration of the past "forgetting"
b. There is consecration of all energies "this one thing I do"
c. There is untiring activity "I press forward toward the mark"

V. Christ is our Savior - Philippians 3:15-20
1. Salvation changes our companions - verse 15-19
2. Salvation changes our conversation - verse 20
3. Salvation changes ultimately our bodies

VI. Christ is our trust - Philippians 3:21
Trust means assured participation
1. He is our trust for Salvation
2. He is our trust for services
3. He is our trust for the second coming

Conclusion: Christ is all and in all for the Christian.