"Passion to Pursue Jesus”
Paul’s letter to the Jesus followers living in a Greek city called Philippi contains the necessary ingredients of a life of “Maintaining the Joy of the Lord No Matter What”.
I. ADOPT THE RIGHT AXIS -- SUPERIOR PERSPECTIVE
The Exaltation of Christ in Everything
Passion to Praise Jesus
II. MAINTAIN THE RIGHT ATTITUDE -- SUPERIOR PATTERN OF LIVING
Humble Obedience modeled by Jesus
Passion to Please Jesus
III. PURSUE THE RIGHT AIM – SUPERIOR PURSUIT 3:1-21
Knowing Christ
Passion to Pursue Christ above all else
Today I will lead an exploration of Paul’s thinking and living regarding his pursuit of knowing Christ. Next week we will explore Paul’s invitation for us to embrace the same kind of pattern modeled by him.
A. Paul warned against false Christianity 3:1-2
B. Paul affirmed genuine Christianity 3:3
1. Who WORSHIP by the Spirit
2. Who glory in Christ Jesus
3. Who put NO confidence in the flesh.
C. Paul shared his own passionate pursuit of Jesus 3:7-14
Paul affirmed his current attitude toward fleshly accolades. He worshiped by the Spirit. He boasted in Christ Jesus alone. He put no confidence in the flesh.
1. Paul devalued EVERYTHING to gain something more valuable
Paul counted things personally beneficial to him as loss for the sake of Christ
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
What things was he talking about? He was talking about all of the accolades available to anyone with his pedigree. Paul was talking about the new value system he acquired at his conversion. A couple of important words here placed in a position of emphasis. “gain” is just like it sounds; the idea of profit, benefit. The term “count”. “Count or consider” typically refers to the consideration (thought) one has in mind, determining how other thoughts (conclusions) follow from it. It primarily means 'to lead,' . . . especially to lead the mind through a reasoning process to a conclusion, and so 'to think, to estimate’. This implies "a more conscious, a surer judgment, resting on more careful weighing of the facts". Secondarily, ("the thought or idea that leads") is used of a human leader (official, someone in charge).]
After careful estimation of all the facts, Paul decided to devalue any earthly benefits in favor of anything that benefits Jesus (“for the sake of Christ”). Paul used a perfect tense verb indicating an action done in the past with continuing impact.
“I have counted and still count personally beneficial things to be loss.”
Paul doubled-down. He counted ALL THINGS to be loss compared to something of greater value.
More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
Paul employed the same term used previously for a settled thinking process. In this case he used a point-time action verb indicating a settled moment in time where he made a decision to devalue everything for a something of higher value. “superior” = have beyond, i.e. be superior, excel, surpass. What is it he considered more valuable than anything else in life? “knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”. The knowing here goes beyond a mere intellectual awareness to the knowledge derived from a personal first-had experience.
As an aside, he not only decided to count all things lost but let them know he had actually suffered the loss of all things for a deeper personal relationship with Jesus.
Paul actually tripled-down on his cognitive process. Not only did he devalue the things beneficial to him for Christ’s sake… Not only did he devalue ALL THINGS for the superior aim of knowing Christ… BUT He considered ALL THINGS to be as worthless refuse in order to be in vital connection with Jesus.
and count them (all things) but rubbish
The term translated “rubbish” is an interesting one. It is the marriage of two terms “dog” and “throw”. It bore refuse to scraps fit only to throw to the dogs or referenced dog feces. It identified what is good for nothing and needs to be discarded. Next to vital connection with Jesus, Paul considered everything else with no more value than doggy do.
Paul opted for what he considered truly important from an eternal perspective. Not only were other things not as important but had no value. This decision enabled him to realize six things triggered by a “so that”. He chose to do this (devalue everything) so that he may realize these eternal things.
? Gain Christ
so that I may gain Christ
Paul chose to lose everything else in order gain Christ. This is the same word earlier indicating “profit.” Sometimes we need to lose something less valuable in order to gain something of superior value.
"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? "For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:35-37
A young passionate missionary named Jim Elliot, who gave his life to win the lost, wrote this -- "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Paul sacrificed all of the creature comforts of an outstanding member of the Pharisee elite, the Sanhedrin, simply that he might enter into a relationship with Christ. Without Christ none of the following things would be possible.
Jesus clearly declared…
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
Paul affirms later…
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
On the flip side, Jesus affirmed…
"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5
? Have the righteousness of God through faith in Christ.
That I may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith
He chose to give up everything in order to acquire a righteousness not based on his own personal efforts to keep the law but the very righteousness of God acquired through faith in Christ. Scripture clear communicates the value of our attempts to be good.
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isaiah 64:6
as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Romans 3:10-12
We need something outside of our selves. Paul spends the first three chapters of Romans demonstrating the need for a righteousness outside of ourselves. Paul found that righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. Rom 3:21-22
For our sake God made Christ to be sin who knew no sin, so that IN him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
That is why Paul wanted to be found IN Him. The necessity of being found with a righteousness outside of ourselves runs all thought the New Testament.
? Experientially know Christ
that I may know Him
Paul chose to devalue everything else in order to enter into intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Again, this term designates an intimate kind of knowing; a knowing based on personal experience. It goes beyond knowing about someone to actually knowing someone personally.
Jesus declared…
This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3
? Experientially know the power of Christ’s resurrection.
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection
Paul willingly chose to devalue everything else in order to experience the power associated with the resurrection of Christ.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7
Paul chose to lose everything in order to gain everything.
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4
This resurrection power is not limited to initial resurrection.
strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and long-suffering; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Colossians 1:11-12
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:18-21
It equally applied to our eventual transformation which Paul alludes to later.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20-21
Paul prayed for the realization of such power for himself and the body.
? Experientially know the fellowship of His suffering through identification with his death.
That I may know Him and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Gal 2:20
Paul continually expressed how privileged he felt to suffer for Christ’s sake. The privileges of identification with Christ’s death AND resurrection motivated an ongoing desire to live that out in everyday life and Paul was willing to devalue everything else for that experience.
? Attain to the resurrection from the dead.
that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Knowing Jesus is the path to ultimate resurrection. Jesus promised to “raise up” all those gifted to the Son by the Father.
This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day. John 6:39-40
Paul chose to devalue the here and now for a certain and glorious hereafter. Paul basically chose to value nothing earthly to gain everything spiritually. That life-transforming choice related not only to his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus but everything that would come after up through eternity. It is one thing to devalue the trivial and another to embrace the eternal.
2. Paul expended EVERYTHING to become more like Christ
In this next section, Paul clarifies his refusal to put and confidence in the flesh and his determination to glory in Christ Jesus.
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect,
What does Paul refer to as having not yet obtained? The term “obtained” is to actively lay hold of or appropriate. He either referenced the immediately preceding statement (resurrection from the dead) or he intended to include all six of the things mentioned above. The following phrase tips my choice to the later.
“or have already become mature”. He humbly admits that even though he made the choice to devalue everything for the sake of fully knowing Jesus and all that is connected to it, he had not fully appropriated all that is available through connection with Jesus.
He hadn’t gained all there was to gain in relationship with Christ.
He had not fully embrace what it means to have the righteousness of Christ.
He had come to fully know Jesus as he would like.
He definitely had not fully experience the power of the resurrection in all his life.
He was done with sharing in the suffering of Christ.
He most certainly hadn’t experienced bodily resurrection.
Since there was more to be had, Paul was determined to press on.
but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
The term translated “press on” means to run after, doggedly pursue (like a hunter its prey), aggressively chase.
What did Paul aggressively pursue? He wanted the same thing Jesus wanted. He would pursue what God was doing. Early he told the Philippians to “work out your own salvation” because God was working in them to pursue His good pleasure and want to. For what purpose did Christ lay hold of us.
who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Titus 2:14
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
The bottom line is that Christ laid hold of us, called us, rescued us, predestined us to become like Him.
Paul affirmed that sentiment again.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;
I think he is referring to Christ-likeness. He affirmed again his primary aim in life; the top priority of his life.
but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul used three ongoing action terms.
The behind things “forgetting” (lose out of the mind)
The before things “stretching”
I “press toward the goal of the upward call of God
What were the things Paul actively put out of his mind? I think he referred both to failures and successes.
Many live in the past. A fixation on past failure or past success hamstrings future progress. Both keep us from actively engaging in the present, which determines our future. Paul determined to daily work out his own salvation. Paul did not ever assume he had arrived. There is no retirement or vacation on the journey to Christ-likeness. Like a runner with their eye on the goal line, Paul stretched to the goal. Perhaps he envisioned the upward call as the call to glory with the words, “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Paul's ultimate aim was to know Christ fully and live Christ wholly. The key to Paul’s spiritual growth began in his thinking. He chose to value the things of life by their real value.
He told the Colossians…
Therefore since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
There as in our present passage, Paul focuses on the entire Christian journey. The beginning identification with Christ. The present life in Christ. The future glory in Christ. He consciously chose the eternal over the earthly.
Like Jeremiah, he learned to distinguish between temporal and eternal.
Therefore, thus says the LORD, "If you return, then I will restore you— Before Me you will stand; and if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman. Jeremiah 15:19
In the next section Paul will call them to follow his example. We will focus on the application more next week.
For today my question is this. How important is knowing Jesus?
If you were to draw a value scale from 1 to 100 and place all of the things currently in your life (i.e. family, possessions, activities, status, wealth, security, home, JESUS) according to demonstrated importance on that line; where would knowing Jesus fall.
Can we honestly say with Paul…?
I consider ALL THINGS to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things.
