Learning to Live a Life of Loss, part 5

This brings us to our fourth point in Philippians 3: there is more to know of Jesus. Here’s what the apostle Paul says in verses 10-11: “My goal is to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.”
 

We should be amazed at these words! Here, the great apostle who served Jesus with everything he had, and accomplished great things for the Kingdom of God - no one did more for the church than Paul - says plainly, “I want to know Christ.” There was still more of Jesus for Paul to get to know. We might be tempted to think, “If Paul does not know Christ, then who does?” But Paul’s point is this: our eternal, infinite Lord always beckons us further into His goodness and glory. There was more of Christ for Paul and there is more of Christ for us to know and experience.
 

Paul gives a list of those things which he still wants to know and experience: the power of His resurrection; the fellowship of sharing suffering with Jesus; becoming like Jesus in His death; and attaining a new quality of life both now and in the resurrection.
 

Paul is most definitely an example for us. We are on a journey with Jesus and because our Lord is infinite, there is no arrival point. There is always more of Him to know, always more of His love to receive and experience, and always more of His mission to join.
 

This brings us to our fifth and final point from Philippians 3: Jesus had something in mind when He chose the Apostle Paul, and Jesus has something in mind for each one of us: Philippians 3:2-14 “Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus” CSB.
 

Do you see it? Paul understood that Jesus had taken hold of him for a reason. And it was Paul’s personal mission in life to make every effort to take hold of it (the goal) because he had also been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.   

God takes hold of each one of us for a reason. He has a purpose, a goal in mind for us. Jesus had something in mind when He chose you! Please never forget that. Paul knew the secret of his life would be revealed, as he followed hard after Jesus.
 

Notice the connection between Christian maturity and discovering our purpose: Part of being a mature Christian is finding and knowing God’s purpose for our life. Do you long to know HIS purpose for your life? We can confidently follow Paul’s example, knowing that we walk in obedience to Jesus, we will discover that for which He has taken hold of us. This is a tremendous comfort, whether in times of trouble or times of ease. What would the world see if they watched us as we discovered — and fulfilled — the purpose for our lives?! The good news is that Jesus will reveal our purpose. He did it for Paul and He will do it for you and me as well.

The application for us this week is simple: could we point to our own lives as a model for living through tough times? Just like He called Paul, I believe God has called each one of us to reach a joyful union with Jesus, one that is living and vibrant, in good times and in difficult times. That union, shown to the world through our faith and joy, will demonstrate that our faith is genuine, and it will be something that they desire as well. END