Philippians #054 - Learn the Bible Broadcast - Philippians 3:10
Pastor Andrew B. Ray

Antioch Baptist Church
5709 North Broadway
Knoxville, TN 37918
http://www.LearntheBible.org

Support Our Ministry: https://secure.learnthebible.org/antiochbaptistchurch.html

Philippians #054 - Learn the Bible Broadcast
Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

2. To know Christ (Philippians 3:10)
a. Three levels of knowledge
(1) Note: Knowledge is, in a very basic sense, something that is revealed or made known (see Matthew 10:26)
(2) An acquisition of factual information (Mark 1:24; Mark 1:34; Romans 1:21)
(3) A personal relationship with Jesus Christ (John 14:17; John 17:3; Galatians 4:8-9; 1 Thessalonians 4:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 John 2:3-4, 13-14; 1 John 4:7-8; 1 John 5:20)
(4) A greater understanding of the doctrines of Christ (Philippians 3:10)
(5) Note: Paul already possessed the first two levels of knowledge, but was constantly in pursuit of the third.
b. The desired knowledge
(1) Him [Christ]
(2) The power of His resurrection
a) The power of the Son in the resurrection (John 5:21-29; John 10:18)
b) The power of the resurrection in the life of the believer
i) The power of justification (Romans 4:25)
ii) The power for a new life (Romans 6:4-11; Colossians 3:1-3)
iii) The power for a personal resurrection (Romans 8:10-11; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23)
iv) The power of hope (1 Peter 1:3-4)
(3) The fellowship of His sufferings
a) Fellowship defined
i) The modern description of fellowship is much weaker than its original intent.
ii) Earlier usage of fellowship designated partnership.
iii) The word fellow was used to signify a coworker in Exodus 2:13 and every alternative ending used in scripture designates something that people did together.
iv) Fellowship is the act of two or more people uniting to accomplish a task. Fellowship suggests a foundational unity of purpose and motive (see Amos 3:3). It is perhaps the strongest possible bond two people can enjoy.
b) The fellowship of His sufferings
i) Clarified by Paul as “being made conformable unto his death;”
ii) Paul was “always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,” (2 Corinthians 4:8-11)
iii) Paul felt as though his sufferings would “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ” in his flesh (Colossians 1:24)
iv) Paul felt as though the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings also pointed to a fellowship of Christ’s glory (Romans 8:17-18; 2 Timothy 2:11-12). Peter testified of the same (1 Peter 4:12-14).
v) There is a special crown (the crown of life) available for those who pay the ultimate price of martyrdom (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10)
(a) Given to those who are faithful (Revelation 2:10)
(b) Particularly faithful unto death in suffering (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10)