THE GRASP OF CHRIST

PHILIPPIANS 3:1

A. "I PRESS ON, IF SO BE THAT I MAY APPREHEND THAT FOR WHICH ALSO I WAS APPREHENDED BY CHRIST JESUS" (R.V.)
  1. The primary meaning of the word "apprehend" is "to seize, to lay hold of":
    1. And, no doubt, in the days of King James that primary meaning was the dominant meaning
    2. But a change has come over the use of the word - now days the word has special reference to "seizing with the mind" "understand"
  2. When we look at our text prayerfully we see two actions:
    1. Being apprehended by Christ
    2. And pressing on to apprehend Christ B. THE GRASP OF CHRIST
  3. Paul recalls his conversion:
    1. His experience on the road to Damascus - Acts 9:1-20
    2. How Paul was doing everything in his power to oppose and destroy the cause of Christ
    3. He was present when Stephen became a martyr for Christ - Acts 8:1
  4. But because he did it ignorantly Christ saved him:
    1. That is what Paul wrote to the churches that God had compassion upon him, because he was ignorant of what he did - I Tim. 1:13
    2. That was just another demonstration of the magnitude of God's love and compassion toward sinners
    3. Paul states it this way, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief" - I Tim. 1:15; I Cor. 15:9
  5. Christ grasped him:
    1. Saul became a brand plucked out of the fire - Zech. 3:2
    2. The road of persecution of the Christians became the road of conversion; a changed heart and a changed life - Gal. 2:20
    3. How marvelous and how compassionate are the ways of the Lord passed finding out C. NOTE THE DIVINE PURPOSE OF TAKING A HOLD OF SAUL OF TARSUS
  6. Christ grasped Paul:
    1. To alter the course of his life
    2. The zeal of Saul had blinded him to the Divine purpose of the church of God in this world
    3. He was in truth, not only a persecutor of the innocent, in reality a mass murderer of God's people
    4. How deep penetrates the mercy of God; to the very depth of human degradation
  7. Paul realized the measure of Christ's grasp on him:
    1. And he was very anxious to grasp the Son of God; to demonstrate his humble gratitude to Christ for saving him
    2. Note a number of Paul's statements that give us the tone of his heart; "To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" - Phil. 1:21; "I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus" - Acts 21:13; "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I am unto the world" - Gal. 6:14
  8. Did Paul ever complete his grasp of Jesus Christ?
    1. To the Philippians he wrote, "I have not as yet attained" - Phil. 3:13-17
    2. But shortly before his life became an oblation to Christ, he testifies very boldly, "I am now ready to be offered...I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" - 2 Tim. 4:6-8
  9. What a mighty grasp Paul had on Christ because Christ had all of him:
    1. Christ saw in Saul a misguided zealot, but also a sincere person with great potentials which Satan had used against the cause of Christ
    2. Christ seized upon Saul and made him a mighty worker for Christianity; He foiled the plans of Satan all the way
    3. And that is Christ's plan for every one who allows Him to change his life and use his powers to the glory of God


Design © John Bryant 2011