Transforming Ourselves
gtcotr/ss060103
Turn To The Book Of Philippians
Point #204. Do not be fooled … a person will not die for something which he would not live for.
Key Scriptures: Romans 12
1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The story of Paul’s life
* Probably born about the same time as our Lord Jesus
* Acts 7:58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
* Acts 8 :1 ¶ And Saul was consenting unto his death
* Acts 8 :3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church
* Acts 9 :1 ¶ And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
* Acts 9 :17 … Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
* Acts 9 :31 After Saul grew in the Lord and left Damascus & Jerusalem for Tarsus, the churches had rest.
* Acts 13 :9 We find Saul, now called Paul, in the church in Antioch
* Acts 19 :11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
* Tradition: Around AD66 - Paul Is Beheaded In Rome
* During the years between Salvation & Martyrdom
> He Lived For The Christ He Would Die For
* Early On He Said
> 1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
* A Bit Later In Life He Argued:
* 2 Corinthians 11:5 ¶ For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
* How Did He Make That Claim: Humbly With Proof:
> He said hear me as a fool as I boast a little:
* 2 Corinthians 11 Talking comparatively concerning other ministers who had quickly gained the churches attention but were perhaps more shallow in their doctrine and commitment to Christ.
22 ¶ Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Paul Continues His Argument In Philippians 3
4 ¶ Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
I. Philippians 3:
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
A. That I May Know Him
1. The Presence which is my Lord & Master
2. The Person which is my Savior & Friend
3. The Power which is my Shield & Deliverer
4. The Purpose which is my God & King
B. That I May Become Like Him
II. What Was Jesus Like?
A. Philippians 2
1. Philippians 2:4-5 Jesus Invested His Life In Others
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
2. Philippians 2:3 Jesus Valued Others Above Himself
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
3. Philippians 2:7 Jesus Chose To Serve Instead Of Being Served
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
4. Philippians 2:8 Jesus Humbled Himself And Obeyed
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
B. If you want to be great in God’s Kingdom, you have to be the servant of all.
C. That I May Know Him & Become Like Him
III. Three Things That Will Get The Transformation Started
A. Work Out What God Is Working In
Philippians 2
12 ¶ Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
B. Don’t Be A Complainer
Philippians 2
14 ¶ Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
The true test of being a servant is how you feel and act when someone treats you like one.
C. Hold Onto The Word Of Life
Philippians 2
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
