Intentional Christianity

Philippians 3:7-16

7  But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.    
8  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ    
9  and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which [is] from the law, but that which [is] through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;  
10  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,    
11  if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12  Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.    
13  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing [I do,] forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,    
14  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.    
15  Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.    
16  Nevertheless, to [the degree] that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
 
Introduction:

Living the Christian life on purpose!  

Mark 8:34

34 When He had called the people to [Himself,] with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 
 
Question: What does full devotion to Jesus look like? 

One person who was living out intentional Christianity was the Apostle Paul
 
1. A Fully Devoted Follower of Jesus Counts All Things Loss - v 7,8 

2. A Fully Devoted Follower of Jesus has a Passion to Know Christ
v 10 - that I may know Him - the word know means to know personally by experience

3. A Fully Devoted Follower of Jesus Lives a New Life
v 10 - the power of His Resurrection, Ephesians 1:19-20 

19  and what [is] the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power    
20  which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated [Him] at His right hand in the heavenly [places,]

4. A Fully devoted Follower of Jesus is Prepared to Pay the Price
v 10 - the fellowship of His Sufferings  - 1 Cor. 15:31 

31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

5. A Fully Devoted Follower of Jesus Runs the Race to the Finish
Pressing on - endurance
Reaching out - focus
Forgetting the past - bad/good
Moving forward - progress  - v 15

Conclusion:

Are you Living Out Your Faith Intentionally?
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