TOPIC:‌“The Search of the Soul”

                  by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌Philippians 3:10

 

‌‌“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death”

 

1. J. Gordon, the well-known author, once inserted into one of his sermons this

fascinating statement: “When I hear Christians testify that they would be satisfied with the lowest place in heaven if only by the grace of God they are permitted to reach there at all, I reply that their Lord will not be so easily satisfied if they are. He wants them to strive for the highest place, for a seat nearest the throne, and for a crown of the brightest luster.”

 

‌And yet, sad to confess, we must acknowledge that there are literally millions of Christians who have become satisfied as to their present attainment. These average born again believers have a discipleship that is colorless and complacent, and in most respects, downright disgraceful. Such is the picture of present day Christianity.

 

‌But not so of Paul! Though he outwalked, outworked, and outwitnessed all other first century Christians, he was forever discontented and dissatisfied over the thought of being an ordinary disciple of Christ. He passionately desired to be above the average. He had a heart-burning crave for a deeper encounter with the ever living Christ. Give ear to his soul searching cry: “I long to know Christ and the power shown by his resurrection: now I long to share his sufferings, even to die as he died, so that I may perhaps attain…Yet, my brothers, I do not consider myself to have “arrived” spiritually, nor do I consider myself already perfect. But I keep going on, grasping even more firmly that purpose for which Christ grasped me” (Philippians 3:10-12, Phillips). Certainly no one was ever more occupied with going on with Christ than the Apostle Paul.

 

‌Ah, what a discontented man this Paul was! He was restless over the thought of being called an ordinary, non-productive Christian. He was uneasy over his love and labor for Christ. In the light of this, I ask: Should not the burning desire of every child of God be for a closer, more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ? If our answer to that question is in the affirmative, and it must be, let us look steadily into this Pauline heart and trace out together the quest which is raging within his soul. I suggest he is in search of three things.

 

I.

 

‌For one thing, the soul of Paul was in search to know more of this UNDYING PERSON. Take a much needed look at those words in verse 10: “That I may know him.” Once before this he cries out in verse 8: . . .