Something about Jesus
Philippians 3: 7-14
7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
----------------------
Paul is telling the Philippians that he has suffered the loss of all things, and regards them as “rubbish” – the Greek word is stronger and stinks – in order that he may “gain Christ.” He says that he regards “everything” as loss because of the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Wow.
In case you didn’t know, Paul didn’t write these words in the comfort of his home, or in the throes of a successful evangelical meeting. No. Paul wrote them in prison. He was captive there because of this very Christ whom He clearly adores. There is not a modicum of bitterness in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Quite the contrary! Again and again, he writes about rejoicing – in the Lord. And in prison, having “suffered the loss of all things,’ in these seven verses before us, Paul makes it quite clear that he believes it’s all worth it.
To gain Christ.
To know Christ.
To be found in Christ.
Have you ever felt this way about Jesus? This is clearly so different from being a regular, even active, church member. This is clearly so different from being generous in one’s offertory, in saying one’s prayers regularly, in reading one’s Bible diligently.
Paul is talking about the “surpassing value of knowing Christ” as Lord. I’ve heard it said that the word “know” is the most intimate word in the Bible. Adam “knew” Eve (King James Bible), after all, and give birth to Cain!
Here, Paul is talking about a relationship with Jesus. A relationship so deep and enduring, it’s worth everything to him. He wouldn’t be talking this way – when he’s in prison for Jesus’ sake – if he just knew about Jesus, even really, really well. This is not an intellectual knowledge, knowledge acquired from books – not even from the Scriptures. No. This is Paul’s life experience -- his life-changing experience. He’s talking about a life-enhancing relationship with Jesus Christ, and it is one in which Jesus is Lord. Note that Paul calls Jesus “my Lord.” This is personal for Paul. Jesus is not just the Lord -- which He is -- but He’s Paul’s Lord. And something about knowing Jesus like that, says Paul, is of “surpassing value.”
Nothing else compares, he says. In fact, everything else is just plain rubbish!
To gain Christ is Paul’s objective. Christ Himself. Not facts about Christ, or even blessings from Christ. But Jesus Christ the person, the Lord Himself. And having gained Him, nothing else matters to Paul. He has suffered the loss of all things for Jesus’ sake! Did you hear that? The loss of all things! He’s not just talking about a day of fasting, or about giving up chocolates over Lent.
Do you love Jesus Christ like that?
Do you know what it is to love like that?
If Paul’s story is anything to go by, apparently, it will cost you. Even everything. On top of that, you could end up in prison, a helpless captive. But, here’s the amazing thing that is so obvious in Paul’s writings: He doesn’t care what happens to him. Knowing Jesus Christ is of such surpassing value to Paul.
Do you know Jesus Christ like that?
Paul seems to be saying to us, “You know that person you know and love more than any other? Well, knowing Jesus surpasses even that.”
There has got to be something about Jesus Christ that can make a man who was once a persecutor of the church write this way in prison! There has got to be something about Jesus Christ that makes a young woman named Agnes give up everything to dedicate her entire life to helping the poor, dying and destitute in His name, even when she felt anguish and darkness in her life for years. Mother Teresa (born Agnes), we now know, felt distant from this Jesus for years. Yet, having known Him and known His love, all the distance and anguish couldn’t change the surpassing value of knowing Him and, therefore, living for Him.
There has got to be something about Jesus that elicits this kind of devotion!
Paul doesn’t just want to be blessed by Christ. Paul doesn’t just want to celebrate Christmas. Paul doesn’t just want to attend Sunday school regularly. He says he wants “to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death.”
He wants to share his sufferings by becoming like him in his death! Do you and I want to know Christ like that? This is how Paul loved Christ! And he seems to understand that to know the power of Christ’s resurrection, he had to share in Christ’s sufferings even unto death. I suppose it does make sense that one cannot know the power of resurrection without knowing the despair of death.
There has got to be something about Jesus Christ that would create in anyone the desire to be His disciple. Jesus makes it very clear that that means self-denial and carrying a cross. We wouldn’t do that for just anyone. In fact, we wouldn’t do that if we didn’t love Him. Madly.
Why would we love Jesus like that? Only because He first loves us like that. Enough to die for us. And come after us while we are still sinners.
Has Paul initiated this love? No. He’s doing all this, he says, because “Christ Jesus has made me His own.”
Here’s the truth: Jesus Christ is the initiator in this relationship. As He is in any relationship. He calls us – each one of us – by name, to know Him like that, where knowing Him is of “surpassing value” and everything else is “rubbish.”
Can you imagine loving someone so greatly that nothing else seems to matter? It is a love that is beyond the confines of reason or sense or distance or circumstances. Paul knew Jesus Christ like this. And in knowing Him like that, Paul thought Jesus was worth the loss of everything that had once mattered to him.
How different this is from a passing interest in the Lord Jesus Christ! How different this is from fitting Jesus into our daily lives, and congratulating ourselves when we make a little extra time on Sunday and a mid-week Bible study.
There has got to be something about Jesus Christ that He would make a man like Paul His own. Paul used to be Saul, a murderous persecutor of the church, remember? Jesus came after him!
And changed his life.
There is something about Jesus Christ that He wants to make sinners His very own. And give us new lives. He comes after us because He loves us. It doesn’t matter who we are, or what our story is. Jesus loves us. He makes us His own -- if we let Him. And then, He gives us new life.
That’s why I believe that Paul is on to something here. I believe knowing Jesus Christ is “of surpassing value.” I believe that He is worth giving up all things for His sake. I also believe – hallelujah! -- “Christ Jesus has made me His own.”
Do you believe that about yourself? It’s true. He comes to us, each one of us individually, and says, “I love you so much I died for you. You will find no greater love than mine for you.” It’s the kind of love, when known, that elicits devoted response, and radically changes lives. As it did for Paul.
Have you ever felt love like that?
Paul clearly couldn’t help himself. What he is expressing here is not a carefully thought out love. It is complete and utter abandonment in response to first love – Jesus’ love for him.
And so Jesus Christ is his Lord. And Paul gives up “all things” for his Lord.
Have you ever given up something for Jesus? As you think about that, think about this: Jesus Christ gave Himself up for you. Gave up His glory. Gave up His life. For you. And for me. And for Paul.
There has got to be something about Jesus! And if you haven’t felt it yet, well, come to Him. Find out for yourself. He knows your story, just like He knew Paul’s. And, He’s already chosen you, just like He chose Paul. It's up to you to respond.
And once you know Jesus, I mean, really know Him, you’ll know His love and…
...You won’t be able to hold back.
7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
----------------------
Paul is telling the Philippians that he has suffered the loss of all things, and regards them as “rubbish” – the Greek word is stronger and stinks – in order that he may “gain Christ.” He says that he regards “everything” as loss because of the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Wow.
In case you didn’t know, Paul didn’t write these words in the comfort of his home, or in the throes of a successful evangelical meeting. No. Paul wrote them in prison. He was captive there because of this very Christ whom He clearly adores. There is not a modicum of bitterness in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Quite the contrary! Again and again, he writes about rejoicing – in the Lord. And in prison, having “suffered the loss of all things,’ in these seven verses before us, Paul makes it quite clear that he believes it’s all worth it.
To gain Christ.
To know Christ.
To be found in Christ.
Have you ever felt this way about Jesus? This is clearly so different from being a regular, even active, church member. This is clearly so different from being generous in one’s offertory, in saying one’s prayers regularly, in reading one’s Bible diligently.
Paul is talking about the “surpassing value of knowing Christ” as Lord. I’ve heard it said that the word “know” is the most intimate word in the Bible. Adam “knew” Eve (King James Bible), after all, and give birth to Cain!
Here, Paul is talking about a relationship with Jesus. A relationship so deep and enduring, it’s worth everything to him. He wouldn’t be talking this way – when he’s in prison for Jesus’ sake – if he just knew about Jesus, even really, really well. This is not an intellectual knowledge, knowledge acquired from books – not even from the Scriptures. No. This is Paul’s life experience -- his life-changing experience. He’s talking about a life-enhancing relationship with Jesus Christ, and it is one in which Jesus is Lord. Note that Paul calls Jesus “my Lord.” This is personal for Paul. Jesus is not just the Lord -- which He is -- but He’s Paul’s Lord. And something about knowing Jesus like that, says Paul, is of “surpassing value.”
Nothing else compares, he says. In fact, everything else is just plain rubbish!
To gain Christ is Paul’s objective. Christ Himself. Not facts about Christ, or even blessings from Christ. But Jesus Christ the person, the Lord Himself. And having gained Him, nothing else matters to Paul. He has suffered the loss of all things for Jesus’ sake! Did you hear that? The loss of all things! He’s not just talking about a day of fasting, or about giving up chocolates over Lent.
Do you love Jesus Christ like that?
Do you know what it is to love like that?
If Paul’s story is anything to go by, apparently, it will cost you. Even everything. On top of that, you could end up in prison, a helpless captive. But, here’s the amazing thing that is so obvious in Paul’s writings: He doesn’t care what happens to him. Knowing Jesus Christ is of such surpassing value to Paul.
Do you know Jesus Christ like that?
Paul seems to be saying to us, “You know that person you know and love more than any other? Well, knowing Jesus surpasses even that.”
There has got to be something about Jesus Christ that can make a man who was once a persecutor of the church write this way in prison! There has got to be something about Jesus Christ that makes a young woman named Agnes give up everything to dedicate her entire life to helping the poor, dying and destitute in His name, even when she felt anguish and darkness in her life for years. Mother Teresa (born Agnes), we now know, felt distant from this Jesus for years. Yet, having known Him and known His love, all the distance and anguish couldn’t change the surpassing value of knowing Him and, therefore, living for Him.
There has got to be something about Jesus that elicits this kind of devotion!
Paul doesn’t just want to be blessed by Christ. Paul doesn’t just want to celebrate Christmas. Paul doesn’t just want to attend Sunday school regularly. He says he wants “to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death.”
He wants to share his sufferings by becoming like him in his death! Do you and I want to know Christ like that? This is how Paul loved Christ! And he seems to understand that to know the power of Christ’s resurrection, he had to share in Christ’s sufferings even unto death. I suppose it does make sense that one cannot know the power of resurrection without knowing the despair of death.
There has got to be something about Jesus Christ that would create in anyone the desire to be His disciple. Jesus makes it very clear that that means self-denial and carrying a cross. We wouldn’t do that for just anyone. In fact, we wouldn’t do that if we didn’t love Him. Madly.
Why would we love Jesus like that? Only because He first loves us like that. Enough to die for us. And come after us while we are still sinners.
Has Paul initiated this love? No. He’s doing all this, he says, because “Christ Jesus has made me His own.”
Here’s the truth: Jesus Christ is the initiator in this relationship. As He is in any relationship. He calls us – each one of us – by name, to know Him like that, where knowing Him is of “surpassing value” and everything else is “rubbish.”
Can you imagine loving someone so greatly that nothing else seems to matter? It is a love that is beyond the confines of reason or sense or distance or circumstances. Paul knew Jesus Christ like this. And in knowing Him like that, Paul thought Jesus was worth the loss of everything that had once mattered to him.
How different this is from a passing interest in the Lord Jesus Christ! How different this is from fitting Jesus into our daily lives, and congratulating ourselves when we make a little extra time on Sunday and a mid-week Bible study.
There has got to be something about Jesus Christ that He would make a man like Paul His own. Paul used to be Saul, a murderous persecutor of the church, remember? Jesus came after him!
And changed his life.
There is something about Jesus Christ that He wants to make sinners His very own. And give us new lives. He comes after us because He loves us. It doesn’t matter who we are, or what our story is. Jesus loves us. He makes us His own -- if we let Him. And then, He gives us new life.
That’s why I believe that Paul is on to something here. I believe knowing Jesus Christ is “of surpassing value.” I believe that He is worth giving up all things for His sake. I also believe – hallelujah! -- “Christ Jesus has made me His own.”
Do you believe that about yourself? It’s true. He comes to us, each one of us individually, and says, “I love you so much I died for you. You will find no greater love than mine for you.” It’s the kind of love, when known, that elicits devoted response, and radically changes lives. As it did for Paul.
Have you ever felt love like that?
Paul clearly couldn’t help himself. What he is expressing here is not a carefully thought out love. It is complete and utter abandonment in response to first love – Jesus’ love for him.
And so Jesus Christ is his Lord. And Paul gives up “all things” for his Lord.
Have you ever given up something for Jesus? As you think about that, think about this: Jesus Christ gave Himself up for you. Gave up His glory. Gave up His life. For you. And for me. And for Paul.
There has got to be something about Jesus! And if you haven’t felt it yet, well, come to Him. Find out for yourself. He knows your story, just like He knew Paul’s. And, He’s already chosen you, just like He chose Paul. It's up to you to respond.
And once you know Jesus, I mean, really know Him, you’ll know His love and…
...You won’t be able to hold back.
posted by Ruth at 10:46 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home