Let us turn again to God's Word and turning to Paul's epistle to the Philippians and the third chapter. In Philippians chapter 3 I'll read from verse 7 through 11. Philippians 3 verse 7. But what things were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ, says the Apostle. 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, 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, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, and in particular I want to concentrate on what Paul is saying here in the last two verses that we've just read, verses 10 and 11. Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, he says that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

We did make a brief reference to these words this morning. We were considering, of course, their summing of the experience of Job in the Old Testament. Considering those words at the end of chapter 19, and in particular that great statement of his faith in Christ. the latter day upon the earth those were the words although we looked at the context as well we we thought in particular of what he says there with regards to the Redeemer the Goel that's the particular Hebrew word the reference is really to the the kinsmen Redeemer that provision that was made in the Levitical law the third book of Moses, the book of Leviticus, and it's a gospel book. It's full of types, shadows, a prefiguring of the work of Christ.

There are feasts and there are sacrifices and they all are types really, types of him who comes as a great anti-type and makes one sacrifice for sins forever. But how There are remarkable things to be considered in that book of Leviticus and the provision of the kinsman redeemer is spoken of there in Leviticus 25 and verse 25. If thy brother be waxen poor and hath sold away some of his possession and if any of his kin come to redeem it then shall he redeem that which his brother sold. The redemption by the one who is near of kin and the wonderful example and we mentioned that this morning the wonderful example we have there in the Old Testament is of course Boaz Boaz was the kinsman redeemer to the family of Naomi and to Ruth in particular Boaz a remarkable type of the Lord Jesus Christ well we thought of that kinsman redeemer but looking at the context we also said something with regards to the resurrection i know that my redeemer liveth and he shall stand he shall rise that's the literal meaning of the word the more literal reading than what we have in the text we might have it in the margin he shall rise upon the earth in the latter day and And Job goes on, doesn't he, there to speak of his own hope that in his flesh he will see God. Though he knows he's going to be turned to corruption, he's going to die, but he's looking for a general resurrection.

Well, these were some of the things that we were considering earlier and I, as I said just now, I did make some reference also to what The Apostle Paul is saying here in verses 10 and 11 of this chapter that there's a kinship, as it were, between Job and Paul. Job says, I know that my Redeemer liveth. What does the Apostle say in the words of our text? He expresses his great desire that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. And see how here, like Job, he speaks of Christ's resurrection.

In the first part of verse 10, he wants to know the power of his Christ's resurrection. And then he speaks of himself, he speaks of the general resurrection of which Christ's resurrection is the first fruits there at the end of verse 11 he wants to attain unto the resurrection of the dead and so I want us to continue to think about that subject of the resurrection now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep we read those words just now there in 1 Corinthians 15 20.

Or do we believe that Jesus died and rose again? Paul says there at the beginning of that 15th chapter, doesn't he? It is with the Gospel. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And he was dead and buried and rose again according to the Scriptures. This is the gospel. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so also then the sleeping Jesus will God bring with him.

Now there's that certain ring in the scriptures with regards to the blessed doctrine, the truth of the resurrection. And Christ's resurrection, the guarantee that there will be in that last day a general resurrection. Well, let us look at these words here in verses 10 and 11.

I would just say something then with regards to the doctrine of the resurrection in relation to the experience of the apostle himself. To see it in the light of Paul's own experience. Remember how he says in 1 Timothy 1 that he's a pattern to them which would thereafter believe. and so we find these portions in his various epistles when he is very personal and he speaks of his own experience because he is a pattern and certainly here in this third chapter we have one such section which is I suppose more experimental than other parts of his epistles. Well, Paul's experience of the doctrine he has an experimental knowledge Notice what he says first of all. This is so basic to any part of his experience.

We might think that here in verse 10 he would first speak of the sufferings of Christ. He would first speak of the crucifixion of Christ upon the cross and then the glorious resurrection three days after his crucifixion. but he mentions the resurrection first of all because if he's going to know anything of the Lord Jesus Christ that's where it must begin the power of his resurrection before ever he can understand anything with regards to the person and work of the Lord Jesus there must be that divine power in his own soul well as we come to consider this subject of the doctrine of the resurrection in Paul's experience. I want to mention some three things we see here, how he speaks of desire, and he speaks of difficulties, and he speaks of a final destination. Those three things I want to divide what I'm going to say into. First of all, to say something with regards to his desire. The power of Christ's resurrection is what he wants to know and feel in the very depths of his being. New life. New life from Christ we must receive before for sin we rightly grieve. We can know nothing. Except first of all there is that spiritual life in our souls because by nature we're dead in trespasses and sins.

We sang that lovely hymn, that first hymn, 193, John Newton. And yet, you know, Newton is quite wrong in what he says here in the second verse, isn't he? Sometimes wonder whether we should ever sing that verse. He says, by faith in me the soul receives new life, though dead before. Well, that's wrong. we don't by faith receive new life we have to have new life to believe in the first place I don't want to make dear John Newton who was such a gracious man and wrote some wonderful hymns don't want to make him an offender for a word but I have to say that I feel ill at ease in some ways when I sing those verses of that second verse It must all begin, you see, here with new life.

And now, this is what the Apostle desires above all things, to know that resurrection life. If Christ be not raised, he says to the Corinthians, your faith is vain. You're dead in your sins. or the resurrection of Christ and it's so vital to new life coming into our souls if Christ is not risen from the dead we are of all men most miserable he says but look at Paul's desire here in the whole context really I read several verses surrounding the text or the verses previous to the text we're considering And look at what He says back at the end of verse 8, that I may win Christ. The beginning of verse 9, what is His desire? To be found, to be found in Him. The beginning of verse 10, His desire to know Him.

How He wants this full knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, not just something doctrinal not something just a matter of the intellect understanding doctrine no he wants to experience these things it's an experimental knowledge and such a knowledge that will bring him to a real appreciation of all the great truths of the gospel the fundamental doctrines of the gospel Now, the resurrection, you see, the resurrection life in Christ is that that brings us to experience these great gospel truths, redemption and forgiveness. That's the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Without the shedding of blood, no remission, no forgiveness of sins, Christ came, He shed His precious blood And by the shedding of that blood, what did he do? He poured out his soul unto death. He died. He died a bloody death. There upon the cross, his body bathed in blood. How awful, the death that he died. And what is he doing? He's paying the great price of redemption.

He's satisfying the demands of the law. God's law must be satisfied. God can by no means clear the guilt because He's a holy and righteous and a just God and He cannot wink at sins. And so there's a ransom price to pay. And that's what the Lord Jesus Christ did when He died there upon the cross. He paid the price that the Lord demanded and He did it all on behalf of His people. He had no debt to pay. We're the sinners, we're the ones who are in debt to God, to the Lord of God, but Christ has stood in that low place.

And I say, when we think of redemption and when we think of the forgiveness of our sins, how important is the resurrection? Because it tells us something. It declares unto us how God is well pleased with the Lord Jesus Christ. It tells us that God has accepted what the Lord Jesus Christ did. The resurrection is the vindication of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those opening words in Romans, in chapter 1 of verse 4, He is declared, and it's a strong word, He's marked out, that's what it means. He's distinguished by the Father in this. He's declared to be the Son of God, with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. How the Father accepts that, you see. He accepts Christ's finished work. And He raises Him from the dead and declares it.

He marks this man out. None other name unto heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved. or there's a connection between the resurrection then and that great work of redemption and the forgiveness of sins but also of course it's it's a truth that is also vital with regards to the justification of the sinner he was delivered for our offenses He was raised again for our justification.

That's what Paul says in Romans 4.25. He was delivered, that means He was delivered to the death of the cross, where He was going to pay the price of the sinner's offenses, or the sinner's disobedience, or the guilt of the sinner laid upon Him. Thereupon the cross delivered for our offenses and raised again. from the dead for our justification. How remarkable is that!

He is the surety of his people, you see. And what the surety has done, is owned again by God, the work of the surety. as he not come to justify the sinner those who are in Christ are not only forgiven their sins are accounted righteous and now when Peter is preaching there on the day of Pentecost He speaks of these things. He connects these things together. Look at the language that we have there in that second chapter of the Acts and verses 23 and 24. He says, Doesn't he, in being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken them by wicked hands and crucified and slain? and God hath raised up having loose the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

He has risen and is risen for our justification. He is justified in the resurrection and His people come into that blessing of justification through Him who is the Living Saviour But then, as I've already intimated really, there's a connection between the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and the sinner's regeneration, the new birth. That new life. It's resurrection life, isn't it?

Those great words that we have back in Ephesians 1 at verse 19. What does Paul say? He speaks of the exceeding greatness of his power to us who do believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead. The exceeding greatness of his power not just his power, not just his great power but the exceeding greatness of his power to us who do believe, to believers That new life that is the source of faith.

We can't believe savingly until we've got new spiritual life in our souls. Well, that new life, it's according to the working of God's mighty power which he wrought in the Lord Jesus Christ when he raised him from the dead. It's the same life, you see. It's the life of God, it's the life of the Lord Jesus Christ coming into the soul of the sinner. How wondrous, how wondrous it is what God did in raising Christ, He does when He brings new life into the soul of the sinner.

It's a mighty work. You can't make yourself a believer. You can't make yourself a Christian. I think Joseph Hart is so right when he says only he who made the world can make a Christian. God makes Christians. We can't make any Christians at all. We can't make ourselves Christians. And we have to come to that, don't we? The complete and utter end of ourselves.

That's what God does. He turns the man to destruction. no hope in self utterly cast upon the Lord that's the wonder of the grace of God and we need that resurrection life if we're going to feel these things but not only redemption and forgiveness and justification and regeneration but mortification put into death the deeds of the flesh. What does he say here in this 10th verse?

He wants the power of his resurrection, he desires also the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. The fellowship of his sufferings. Conformity to his death, that's the mortification of sin, that's dying to self, isn't it? Paul says to the Galatians, I am crucified with Christ.

Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God. we have to know what that mortification is through the spirit we are to be those who are mortifying the deeds of the body through the spirit not in our own strength nothing of ourselves or when we have that power of the resurrection and that gracious work of the spirit in our hearts we will not have a desire then to mortify the deeds of the flesh and we see it in the apostles that life that he lived, he lived it by the faith of the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him and then ultimately of course there is glorification and that's what we see really isn't it in that passage we were reading in 1 Corinthians 15 Christ is risen from the dead and he is the first fruits he is the first fruits of them that sleep, them that are dead.

His resurrection is the guarantee that there will be a general resurrection and after that what? Glory. Oh, it's glory after that. Paul had such a desire for that. Verse 11 he says, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead and the glories of heaven it's the end isn't it of that lovely golden chain that we have in Romans 8 you remember that golden chain Romans 8 29 and 30 for whom he did for now he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son and whom he predestinated them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified all the glories of heaven and what is it? it's not something that we attain to by our own efforts it's reserved in heaven it's reserved in heaven He says in verse 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. 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 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God. in Christ Jesus, that's glory. That's what this man was pressing after. That's what he desired.

Glory. And all of this rooted back in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. All these fundamental truths, redemption, forgiveness. justification, regeneration, mortification, and the ultimate, the glory of God in heaven.

Why do we have such spiritual desires? That's what Paul had, spiritual desires. It's a mark, isn't it, of grace in the sinner's heart. That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection. or are we those can we identify with the language of the godly we have it so much in the Psalms David there in Psalm 42 as the heart panteth after the water brook so panteth my soul after the O God my soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God? or we see it time and again in the language of the Psalmist earnest longing, yearnings. Do we have spiritual desires like that? Again, look at the language that we find in another psalm, Psalm 63. O God, Thou art my God, early will I seek Thee, my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is, to see Thy power and Thy glory so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary. you see what we have there in the experience of David is really the same as Paul's he wants to see the power of God he wants to feel the power of God this is what Paul is desirous of here in the words of our text we see it in Job or that I know where I might find him he says then I would come even to his seat Biblical saints, they all speak the same language.

They know real spiritual desires. This is Paul's desire. And the Lord Jesus tells us, doesn't He, in the Sermon on the Mount, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Do we ask God to give us that spiritual hungering, that spiritual thirsting, These things are left unrecalled for a purpose, surely to instruct us. This is what we should desire.

This is the religion of the Word of God. And whence do these longings and yearnings arise? Well, they arise, of course, principally from that spiritual life that's coming to the soul in the new birth. But how God causes that life to flourish, to grow, how does he do it?

Well often, strangely, he does it when he brings his people into difficult places. When they find themselves in the midst of trials and troubles and tribulations. And at times they may even feel that God has deserted them. and they feel so much alone. That was Job's experience, surely it was.

We saw that this morning again in the context of that 19th chapter where our text was. Read the chapter through again. Now David speaks in the Psalms with the language that we have for example in the 38th Psalm, what does David say here? Verse 8, I am feeble and sore broken.

I have wrought by reason of the disquietness of my heart. God had brought him into difficulties and he felt it. And then he says, Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me. He felt himself, you see, to be in dark places, and yet what is the Lord doing with him? The Lord is encouraging really that desire that he has.

Paul then speaks of his desire, but also in the second place he speaks of difficulties, doesn't he? It's interesting what he says there at the beginning of verse 11, if by any means. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. What is the if? If. It's not a word of date. It's not a word of doubt, it's a word indicating something of the difficulty of the way.

We have something similar in 1 Peter, there in chapter 4 and verse 18, he says, if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly appear? If the righteous scarcely be saved, that if is not the if of doubt. We know that the righteous shall be saved, they are saved. And that salvation that the righteous have, they can never lose. Who is their righteousness? The Lord is their righteousness. He's speaking there of a saved man, a man that's in Christ. And once in Him, in Him forever.

Thus the eternal covenant stands, the if. If the righteous scarcely be saved doesn't mean that there's some doubt about the salvation of those who are the Lord's righteous ones, justified in the Savior, Christ. It indicates that the way can be difficult. And certainly the Apostle Paul knew that. we certainly knew that but his confidence what does he say earlier in chapter 1 verse 6 of this epistle being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ he that hath begun a good work that work can never be aborted that work will be accomplished even to the end the day of the Lord Jesus Christ this is the God's that Paul desires to know, isn't it? He's the unchanging one. I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it, he says. I have purposed it, I will also do it. Or there can be no separation, you see. Because it's God who is doing the work.

Again, that great 8th chapter in the Roman Epistle. Verse 35, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword, As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

No. In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. We're more than conquerors. All the work is the Lord's work. And we know that all things work together for good. To them that love God, to them who are the call, according to His purpose. You know Romans 8. Read Romans 8. What a chapter it is. Why, that epistle is full of wondrous things. Chapter after chapter. But it's a precious chapter, is it not?

We know. This is the knowledge that Paul desires. This is the knowledge that Job had. I know that my Redeemer lives. And Paul, he knows the Lord Jesus, but he wants to know more of the Lord Jesus, that I may know Him. And the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings be made conformable unto His death. Why? What has Paul done in the second chapter?

He's spoken or written wondrous things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows about Christ. He knows all about the Lord Jesus Christ, who He is. He thought it not probably to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of man. He knows something of the great mystery of the incarnation. He knows that this man, Jesus of Nazareth, is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

He knows all about his work and yet, oh, he has such desires. Do we want to know more of the Lord Jesus if we know a little of the Lord Jesus and it's a real knowledge that we have we want to know more of the Lord Jesus even His sufferings you see would not Christ to have suffered these things and entered into His glory remember those words spoken to those two on the road to Emmaus when Christ comes and walks with them and they don't recognize him, they don't know him, their eyes are holden and he speaks with them. Ought not Christ, who have suffered these things, had talking about all that had taken place in Jerusalem?

And they're so confused. We thought it was he that was come to be the Savior of Israel. And he'd been crucified. And now some of his disciples are saying strange things. He's risen from the dead. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and entered into His glory? Well, if we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him, says the Apostle. And you see how he desires such a knowledge of Christ. Oh yes, it's the power of His resurrection, but there's also the fellowship of His sufferings. Did Christ, my Lord, suffer? And shall I repine? asks dear John Newton. The fellowship of his sufferings be made conformable unto his death.

He has told us, has he not, in the world ye shall have tribulation. Don't be surprised. Troubles in the world for the child of God. In the world ye shall have tribulation. Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. You see, as the affections center in the Lord Jesus Christ. So there will be, in a sense, a practical outcome. It will affect us. It will affect the manner of our living. Isn't that what Paul says there in those familiar words at the beginning of Colossians 3?

If ye then be risen with Christ resurrection, you see, the power of His resurrection. If then ye be risen with Christ, Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth, for you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. He immediately makes a practical application. Therefore, in the light of what I've been saying about your life, is hid with Christ, you're risen with Christ, your affections are there with Him in heaven, what then of your life on the earth mortify your members? Fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, covetousness, which is idolatry. If we have these real spiritual desires, it will affect the manner of our living. There will be difficulties.

That's what the Lord has appointed for His people. And that's the manner of His causing them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of their Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. But what is the destination? Finally tonight, the destination? Well, the difficulties in the way, the disappointments, the desertions even, make the believer look and long for their final destination.

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Richard Sibbes, a Puritan, says, Resurrection is the beginning of glory. It's the beginning of glory. I have not seen nor heard, neither have entered into the hearts of men the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. And that's what the believer is eyeing, you see. The end of all these things.

Our light affliction, the difficulties of the way, the trials, the troubles. What does Paul say? He says it's an affliction, yes, but it's a light affliction. 2 Corinthians 4.17 a light affliction which is but for a moment worketh in us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at the things we just say but the things which are unseen for the things which are seen are temporal and the unseen things are eternal and so the sufferings of this present life are not to be compared with the glory that shall follow all Paul's desire then as he expresses it here and ultimately this is what he wants he wants glory itself It would be better to depart, he says, doesn't it?

And to be with Christ. Do you remember how he speaks in the opening chapter? But he sees that his continuance here is best for these Philippians. well look at the language that we have there verse 21 in that opening chapter for me to live is Christ to die is gain but if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labour yet what I shall choose I want not for I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you that blessed destination I have not seen the things that God has prepared for those who love him. What is the life that we live here?

Well, I like the language of dear Thomas Boston, that great Scottish divine, where he compares grace here and glory hereafter. And he sees the connection. What is grace? He says grace is glory. It's heaven in the buds. It's in the buds. But what is glory? He says glory is grace in the full flower the bud has opened up. And there it is, you see, that's what glory is. It's all the fullness of the grace of God.

And this is what Paul desires. He has such an appetite, such a hungering, such a thirsting after the Lord Jesus. Oh God grant that we might know such a religion as that. Is this man a pattern? Is he a pattern to us tonight? Of course he says we're to be followers of him as he's a follower of Christ but how precious is Christ to this man? Now we see him, he's surely a fellow with that dear man Job in the Old Testament scriptures These two men, one in the Old Testament, one in the New, what a testimony they bear towards us.

And so Paul says here, expressing his real longings, his yearnings, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings be made conformable unto His death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection. of the dead. May the Lord then be pleased to bless the truth of His Word to us and to grant us such a religion as we see in the Apostle Paul. May the Lord bless His Word to us. Amen. Our closing praise is the hymn 490. 4-9-0. Jesus, our triumphant head, risen victorious from the dead, to the realms of glory gone, to ascend his rightful throne. We sing the hymn 490.