In pursuit of excellence

1
In pursuit of excellence

• Philippians 3 1-11

2
In pursuit of excellence

• 1- Finally my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It
  is no trouble for me to write the same things to
  you again, and it is a safeguard to you.
• 2- Watch out for those dogs, those men who do
  evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3- For it is
  we who are the circumcision, we who worship by
  the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and
  who put no confidence in the flesh 4- though I
  myself have reasons for such confidence.
• If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put
  confidence in the flesh, I have more 5-
  circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of
  Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of
  Hebrews in regard to the law, a Pharisee 6- as
  for zeal, persecuting the church as for
  legalistic righteousness, faultless.
• 
  Philippians 3 1- 6

3

• 7- But whatever was to my profit I now consider
  loss for the sake of Christ.
• 8- What is more, I consider everything a loss
  compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing
  Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost
  all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may
  gain Christ 9- and be found in him, not having a
  righteousness of my own that comes from the law,
  but that which is through faith in Christ the
  righteousness that comes from God and is by
  faith. 10- I want to know Christ and the power of
  his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in
  his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
  11- and so, somehow, to attain to the
  resurrection from the dead.
• 
  Philippians 3 7-11

4
Hebrews 122 Who for the joy set before him
endured the cross, scorning its shame
5

• Nehemiah 810 for the joy of the Lord is your
  strength

6

• Luke 14 25 28, 31, 33
• 25- Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and
  turning to them he said 26- If anyone comes to
  me and does not hate his father and mother, his
  wife and children, his brothers and sisters,--yes
  even his own life he cannot be my disciple. 27-
  And anyone who does not carry his cross and
  follow me cannot be my disciple.
• 28- Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.
  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost
  to see if he has enough money to complete it?

7

• v. 31 Or suppose a king is about to go to war
  against another king. Will he not first sit down
  and consider whether he is able with ten thousand
  men to oppose the one coming against him with
  twenty thousand?
• v.33 In the same way, any of you who does not
  give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

8
If anyone (v.26)

• Anyone who does not carry (v.27)

9

• 1 Samuel 18 1, 4.
• v.1 Jonathan became one in spirit with David
• v.4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing
  and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and
  even his sword, his bow and his belt.

10
Pauls ministrys credentials as an apostle

• 1 Corinthians 11 23-28
• 23- For I received from the Lord what I also
  passed on to you The Lord Jesus, on the night he
  was betrayed, took bread, 24- and when he had
  given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my
  body, which is for you do this is in remembrance
  of me. 25- In the same way, after supper he took
  the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in
  my blood do this, whenever you drink it, in
  remembrance of me. 26- For whenever you eat this
  bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lords
  death until he comes.
• 27- Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks
  the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be
  guilty of sinning against the body and blood of
  the Lord. 28- A man ought to examine himself
  before he eats of the bread and drinks of the
  cup.

11

• Galatians 617
• Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear
  on my body the marks of Jesus.
• 2 Corinthians 12 1- 4
• 1- I must go on boasting. Although there is
  nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and
  revelations from the Lord. 2- I know a man in
  Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to
  the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or
  our of the body I do not know God knows.
• 3- And I know that this man whether in the body
  or apart from the body I do not know, but God
  knows 4- was caught up to paradise.

12
Pauls renouncement

• For the benefit of others Therefore I endure
  everything for the benefit of the elect (2
  Timothy 210)
• For the benefit of Gods work I am ready to
  die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus
  (Acts 2113)
• In pursuit of the knowledge of Christ
• But whatever was to my profit I now consider
  loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I
  consider everything a loss compared to the
  surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my
  Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.
• (Philippians 37-8)

13

• His greatest desire To progress. To reach out to
  the experience of knowledge.
• PROGRESSIVE REVELATION
• Of holiness Exodus 3 2, 5.
• V.2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him
  in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw
  that though the bush was on fire it did not burn
  up.
• V.5 Do not come any closer, God said. Take
  off your sandals, for the place where you are
  standing is holy ground.

14

• b) Of challenges 1 Samuel 1733
• Saul replied, You are not able to go out
  against this Philistine and fight him you are
  only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from
  his youth.
• c) Of spiritual illumination Proverbs 418
• The path of the righteous is like the first
  gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the
  full light of day.

15
The measure to reach Attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 413)
16
Manifestations of the churchs decadences

• For everyone looks for his own interests
  (Phil. 221)
• False brothers have infiltrated our ranks to
  spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus
  (Gal. 24)
• At my first defense, everyone deserted me
• (2 Tim. 416)

17
In pursuit of excellence Song of songs 1 2

• Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth
  for your love is more delightful than wine.