Touré Roberts - War of Dimensions

I want to talk today. God gave me a theme; He gave me a message for today, and the message for this Resurrection Sunday is called «The War of Dimensions.» I want to draw your attention to Philippians, the third chapter, and we’re going to look at verses 10 through 12, as well as Romans chapter 8, verse 11. I love Philippians 3 and 10. Both of these passages were letters written by the Apostle Paul. I particularly like Philippians 3 because Paul is at a high point in his ministry. He is not a novice in the faith.

Here’s the backdrop of his text: He begins by describing all his earthly and worldly accomplishments. He runs down the list of everything he has done in his own strength, all the human accolades. These were things that, had Paul had a protégé at that time, those protégés would have given their right arm to accomplish. He lists these items and then comes to verse 10, where he says, «that I may know Him.» First, before I get to that, I want to tell you quickly that he basically states that all those things are rubbish to him. He goes down the list of accomplishments.

Just imagine all the things you desire humanly right now—all your goals and dreams. «I want to graduate, I want to get my PhD, I want to start my company, I want to find the right person, or I want to be a billionaire or millionaire.» Whatever level you’re on, just imagine achieving everything you desired and then coming to the realization that you’ve tasted and seen something else. You might have accumulated all the silver and gold, all the human accolades, the Grammys, and the Oscars, because I’m talking to LA too. You’ve amassed everything that your heart desired, everything that you thought would make you feel significant and valuable.

This is what Paul is saying. He concludes that he counts all of that as rubbish. He says, «that I may know Him and the power—oh, glory to God! —and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.» I’ll get to that; we don’t like that part. In verse 11, he goes on to say, «that if by any means I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.» He saw something so powerful in His resurrection that he wanted the process that led to it. I wish somebody would catch what I just said.

He had experienced the fullness of the human dimension but realized that the human dimension had limitations. He compared it to what he was beginning to experience in his walk and relationship with God. He counted it as rubbish. He said that what he really desired was to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection. I am mystified by this resurrection. Not only am I interested in the resurrection, which is the ultimate goal, but I am also intrigued by the process. That’s why he mentions «the fellowship of His sufferings.» Are you tracking with me?

He wanted to be conformed to His death because he realized that without going through the process, he couldn’t experience the power of the resurrection. Oh, I feel the Spirit of God! We want resurrection power without going through the process that leads to it. He says, «I want the whole thing.» Do I have any people here on Resurrection Sunday who say, «God, I want the whole thing»? That’s what real believers are after. Temporary believers seek the hand of God; real believers seek the all of God.

He said, «the fellowship of His sufferings.» I want to experience that with You because if I share in it with You, I can be raised up with You. As I mentioned on Good Friday, you are never closer to God than in seasons and moments where you are crushed beyond description, where you feel most alone because of what you’re facing. In reality, that is when you are closest to Jesus because you have fellowship with Him on a level that most don’t. California, are you listening to me?

He said, «if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead—this stuff is rubbish; I can’t take it with me, and it wasn’t even what I thought it was.» Hallelujah! Oh, to get you seated, but I feel the Spirit of God! It wasn’t what I thought it was. I chased it down; I sacrificed my calling for it, and I obtained it, yet it wasn’t what it presented itself to be. There’s got to be more!

Do me a favor, from California to Colorado, turn to your neighbor and say, «There must be more! There must be more than this!» This is what Paul is saying. Then in verse 12, he states, «Not that I have already attained…»