Sermon Central
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Holy Ambition
Contributed by Clarence Clough on May 10, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: In Christ can be found a limitless supply of spiritual wealth.
HOLY AMBITION
Paul’s Damascus Road encounter with the Lord (Acts 9) completely turned him around. It revolutionized his whole being.
In Christ he had found a limitless supply of spiritual wealth that made everthing else as worthless. May we cultivate the holy and heavenly goals as Paul did.
In verse eight of our text paul wanted to win Christ. Christ had already won him. Now Paul wanted to obtain Christ in all His fullness--a spiritual personal possession. He diesired to find Jesus as a daily prize. This converted man now determined to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than his own ability. He spoke in First Corinthians chapter two and verse two, "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."
Now we come to Philippians 3:9 where we see that Paul wants to be found in Christ. Similarly victorious Christians are the ones whose faith and works are found in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Overcoming victory is not found in
self-righteousness. Neither in "Pharisee-istic" law-keeping. It is in Christ that we live and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28).
Abiding in Jesus assures one he shall be found in Him (John 15:4). Found in Jesus in a daily walk of intimate fellowship.
Living in touch with the Lord allows one to be constantly aware of our union with Him. According to Romans Chapter Eight and verse one; we must be found in Jesus in order to be considered blameless and complete. A well known pastor has a television program and a devotional booklet entitled "In Touch." Could we commit to the Lord to the extent that we feel and know we are, indeed, in touch with Him? Yes, we can!
When our departure from this earthly existence is at hand; being found in Christ will be a joy to us. Also, it will be an honor to Jesus. Glory will be brought to the Heavenly Father when we are found enveloped in the worthiness of His own Son.
Verse ten of our text records Paul desiring to know God. There are many degrees of knowledge and understanding.We can go to ever increasing levels of the knowledge of God. All Christians know Him that is Life Eternal. Some have a greater understanding of the Lord. They have empiricially experienced intimate, deep, abiding and unquenchable closeness to God Almighty. To know Him as He really is will take all Eternity.
Adam communed with the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Moses experienced the Lord as the "Sea Opener." We should desire to know the Lord as did Joshua. He knew Him as the Captain of The Lord’s Hosts. Daniel knew the omnipotent One as the "Stopper of the Lions’ Mouths." The woman caught in adultery found Him to be the "Sin Forgiver."
Jesus let Bartimaeus know the love of the "Sight Giver." This Jesus was and is the Teacher of men. He trained the Twelve. We cannot leave out the fact that Christ is the Holy Ghost Baptizer (John 15:26). Remember the 120?
We have looked into some keys to knowing the Lord more deeply than we know Him now. In the Bible book of Hosea (6:3a) we find one more directive. "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord:..."
