1LoverofGod
Well-known
Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for Philippians 3:7-14
I. FORGETTING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND.A. So many people are trying to live in the past experiences.
1. Paul had an illustrious past.
a. A Hebrew of the Hebrew.
b. He was a model Pharisee.
c. He was exceedingly zealous.
d. As far as righteousness by the law, he was blameless.
2. Those things that were gain to me, I counted loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord, for Whom I suffered the loss of all things and do count them as refuse, that I may win Christ and be found in Him not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by Him.
a. Note that he counted them loss. When? While he was a proud self-righteous, zealous Pharisee on the road to Damascus, to imprison those who were calling on the name of Christ.
b. On that road He met Jesus Christ. "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?" " Who are you Lord, that I might serve you?" "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." "What would you have me to do Lord?"
c. This is where Paul counted the gains of the past as loss.
d. He is writing this epistle some thirty years later and he declares, "And do count them."
e. Thirty years ago I had a glorious experience with Jesus Christ the result of which I counted all my past glories and accomplishments as loss.
f. Here I am thirty years later still counting the loss.
g. The past experiences are only valid as they have been translated into the present experience.
h. I am not interested in what God did in your life twenty five years ago in the Jesus People revival. I am interested in what He is doing in your life today.
i. If the past experiences have not been translated into the present, they are not valid.
j. Many people had a past experience like Paul's where they met Christ and for the joy gave up the past life, to enter into the new life in Him. In the meantime, trying to live on that past experience they have picked up some of the old ways and habits by which they were once bound.
k. Don't tell me what happened then, tell me what is happening now.
B. There is a certain value in looking back......
Continue Sermon:
Sermon Notes for Philippians 3:7-14 by Chuck Smith
Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for Philippians 3:7-14
www.blueletterbible.org
