A Man in Christ
A Sermon on Philippians 3:12-17
Originally preached June 10, 1962
Scripture
12Not 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. 13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things …
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Philippians 3:12–17 titled “A Man in Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the biblical view of Christianity—one that fills people with joy. More than just knowing facts about Jesus, Christianity is about personally knowing Jesus Himself. Part of the way this is seen is through the Holy Spirit, the helper God sent to live inside of believers to help them as they live in a world hostile to Jesus. The Holy Spirit helps to live and handle everything life throws, spiritually and otherwise. What does it mean to follow Christ in the midst of these struggles? Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates on the riches of the blessings that come along with pursuing Christ and choosing to follow Him instead of the fleeting pleasures of the world. Echoing the words of the Apostle Paul, he reminds that Christians are to count everything else as rubbish when compared to the glory of Christ. This, however, is not the joyless walk that some imagine it to be—rather, those who follow Christ like this are filled with the utmost joy because they are satisfied in Christ, the only one who can truly satisfy their longings.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is writing to the Philippians to remind them of the essence of the Christian faith.
- Paul wants the Philippians to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.
- Paul counts everything as loss compared to knowing Christ.
- The knowledge of Christ is the only thing that can make us safe in this world and for eternity.
- Many people don't believe in Christ because they don't truly know what Christianity is. They think it's about following rules and being miserable.
- True Christianity fills you with joy and gives you a thrilling understanding of Christ.
- The disciples were transformed after Pentecost and filled with power, fearlessness, and assurance.
- The Holy Spirit enables us to know Christ in a personal, experiential way. We can have fellowship and commune with Him.
- Paul wants to know the power of Christ's resurrection - the power that raised Christ from the dead and gives us new life.
- The power of the resurrection enables us to live the Christian life, overcome sin, understand the gospel, and endure sufferings.
- Paul wants to know the fellowship of Christ's sufferings - to feel the world's pain and sin like Christ did.
- Paul wants to be conformed to Christ's death - to die to self and live for God's glory like Christ did.
- If we die to self like Christ, we will be raised to glory and spend eternity with Him.
- True Christianity offers solid joys and lasting pleasures, not worldly pleasures that fade away.
- We must see Christ and know Him to have true faith. The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the excellence of knowing Christ.
Sermon Q&A
What is the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "knowing Christ" in his sermon on Philippians 3:10-11?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, knowing Christ goes far beyond just knowing facts about Him. It means having a personal, experiential relationship with Christ. He explains: "It doesn't just mean that you know things about the Lord Jesus Christ, that you believe certain things about him. It means that you know him himself, that you have a living, vital, experimental knowledge of him." This is the kind of knowledge that made Paul count everything else as "loss" and "dung" in comparison.
How does the power of Christ's resurrection apply to Christians in daily life?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that the power of Christ's resurrection is a living power that works in believers while they remain in this world. This power enables Christians to: - Overcome sin and temptation - Mortify the deeds of the body - Face all circumstances and trials with strength - Understand the gospel more deeply - Live a life "becoming" of the gospel
As he states: "It's not [about] struggling hopelessly to follow Christ and to live the sermon on the mount. It can't be done. It's impossible... This is what it offers, the power of his resurrection, the ability, really to live this christian life."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "the fellowship of His sufferings"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "the fellowship of His sufferings" means being so united to Christ and becoming so like Him that believers suffer as He did in this world. He says it means: - Being grieved by the sin and suffering in the world - Being misunderstood by others, even family - Possibly facing persecution - Being a "puzzle and a problem and an enigma" to non-believers
He explains: "What the apostle is saying is this, I want to be so like him that I shall feel as he felt about this world of sin."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe being "conformable unto His death"?
Being conformable to Christ's death, according to Lloyd-Jones, means: - Being as ready to die for others and for God as Christ was - Being completely selfless - Having the mind of Christ - Dying to self and selfish interests - Being unconcerned about one's reputation - Being "crucified to the world" - Living entirely for the glory of God
He quotes George Müller who said there "came a time in my life when I died, completely and utterly to George Mueller," suggesting this is the kind of death to self that Paul desired.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the problem with many people's view of Christianity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones states that many people have a completely wrong view of Christianity. They think it's about: - "Pulling a long face" - Stopping everything you like doing - Trying to do things you hate - Living a "miserable, wretched life" - Forsaking all joys and happiness - Making negative protests against everything
In contrast, he explains that true Christianity is something that "fills a man with joy" and with "thrilling understanding of this wonderful thing." He emphasizes that Christianity is not just about avoiding hell and hoping for heaven—"that's only the beginning of it."
Other Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.