I invite you to open your Bible with me to Philippians
chapter 3, as Paul uses different words, but
he expresses the same thought. He says in verse
10 of Philippians 3, I want to know Christ and
the power of His resurrection. and the fellowship
of his suffering, becoming like him in his death,
and so somehow to attain to the resurrection
from the dead. Not that I have already obtained
all this or have already been made perfect, but
I press on to take hold of that for which Christ
Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider
myself yet to have taken hold of it, but one
thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining
toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal
to win the prize for which God has called me
heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are
mature should take such a view of things. And
if on some point you think differently, that
too God will make clear to you. Only let us live
up to what we have already attained. In a certain
respect, life is a series of decisions. By the
decisions that we make, we invest our time. The
way that we invest our time exposes the priorities
that we have. The Apostle Paul says essentially
in this text that he has but one priority in
life, whatever his circumstances. And I remind
you that his circumstances at this point were
not exactly friendly. He is writing these words
from a situation in which he is under arrest
in Rome. chained to two guards, day and night,
awaiting trial before Caesar. And he is doing
so as a victim. He is a victim of circumstances
that are beyond his control. It is true that
he said, I appeal to Caesar, but that was the
only recourse he had. He was a victim of people
who unjustly and unfairly attacked him, criticized
him, and sought to kill him. And so as Luke records
in the book of Acts, Paul appealed his case to
Caesar. And now after a lengthy time, he is waiting,
a hearing before the most powerful man in the
world. He has much he wants to do. Paul is glad
to be preaching the gospel in Rome even under
these circumstances. But deep in his heart, Paul
wants to get on to Spain and into other parts
of Europe as we call the continent. And apparently
he did before he died, but now he's frustrated
in fulfilling those desires. And it may reflect
something of what you're facing in your own life
today. You may be frustrated by some situations.
You may have goals you would like to attain,
but because of circumstances beyond your control,
you can't. You may feel victimized. You've been
forced into a situation where you've had no choice
but to to make the decisions you have, or to
accept the circumstances that you're in. How
do we find joy in situations like that? How do
we find joy in that kind of adversity? I believe
that Paul tells us here that we find joy in those
kinds of circumstances. by making sure our priorities
are right. Paul says, I really have one priority,
whatever my circumstances, and that priority
is to know Jesus Christ. So I want to say to
you today that I believe the singular priority
in the life of every believer is the deepening
of his knowledge of Jesus Christ. Whether I am
experiencing blessing or bane, success or failure,
the highest priority I should have every day
is to deepen my knowledge of Christ and thus
to spiritually mature." Paul has already made
it clear that he knows Christ in a saving way
and he has said that he wouldn't compare the
knowledge of Jesus Christ as his Savior for anything
else in life that he would count a benefit. He
counts all of his personal pluses as a pile of
rubbish compared to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
But now he goes on to say, but I also want to
know him more deeply, is the thought. He says
it's not merely enough to say I know Christ as
my Savior. I want to know him, to become intimate
with him. to develop a relationship with this
Jesus Christ, he says. And that becomes the highest
priority for every believer. Paul tells us several
truths regarding this priority. He says, in the
first place, this priority develops our union
with Christ. He has already referred to the fact
that He has gained Christ and is found in Him
so that there is a union with Christ that's already
been referred to. Now he says this priority of
knowing Him more intimately, of growing more
deeply in Christ will develop that union. It's
been established, but it needs to be developed.
It's something like a rosebud, which one admires
as beautiful in the bud time of its existence.
But how much more beautiful is that bud as it
begins to develop and to open over several days
until it becomes a full blossom, emitting the
fragrance that only a rose can give. Paul says,
I know Christ in the bud stage, but I want to
know Him in the blossom stage. I am in Christ,
as we sang a few moments ago. I in thee dwelling,
and thou with me one. Union. To be a Christian
means to be in union with Jesus Christ. The priority
of knowing Christ more deeply develops that union.
Paul says that we share in the power of His resurrection.
That power is resident within us already. That
power that raised Him from the dead. It is there
within us in the person of the Holy Spirit. Think
of the power of the resurrection. Those of us
who've lost loved ones, understand how final
death is in this world. A relationship that is
precious and dear suddenly is severed by death.
And death becomes like a brass wall that you
can't dig under, you can't get over it around
it, you can't get through it. It separates. Death
has power to separate. but there is the power
of the resurrection that is even greater. Because
there was a Savior two thousand years ago who
experienced that wall of death and was separated
from his disciples and yet who burst through
the brass door of death and came back alive forevermore.
The power of the resurrection, there is no power
greater. You can drop a thousand atomic bombs
and have the power to take millions or even billions
of lives, but you cannot bring one back from
the dead with a million atomic bombs. The power
of the resurrection is a power that reverses
the whole course of events since the fall of
man. And that is the power that resides within
every Christian. Paul says, I want to know Jesus
Christ. That is my priority because I share in
the power of His resurrection and I want to know
the release of that power in my life. The point
he's making here is that we, in coming to know
Jesus Christ more intimately, will experience
the joy of the release of his power in our lives,
changing us as people and making us more like
Jesus in the course of our daily walk. The power
of the resurrection. We share that with him.
We also share the fellowship of his suffering.
Interesting the the fact that he places the suffering
after the resurrection in this context. Perhaps
it is because it is the power of the resurrection
that enables Paul to enter in joyfully to the
suffering of Christ. Of course he's not talking
about in any sense that we share in the cross
sufferings of Christ. That we somehow share in
his vicarious suffering for sin. He did that.
Only he could do that. He did it once and for
all. that Jesus Christ still suffers because
of the attack of evil against him. And though
he is in heaven, his people are upon the earth,
and we being at one with him experience the fellowship,
the sharing of his sufferings. So that if one
of us suffers, we all suffer because we belong
to each other and we belong with Jesus. He suffers
with us. When I run a splinter under my fingernail,
it's not just my finger that hurts. Every part
of my body hurts, including my head. So when
a Christian suffers, the head of the body of
Jesus suffers, Jesus himself. and every member
of the body suffers. When you and I come to more
intimately know Jesus Christ, we enter into the
fellowship of his sufferings. You say, can we
avoid that? Well, in a sense we can. In a sense
we can if we choose to. We can live such tepid
lives, such mediocre lives in this world. that
we will avoid as much suffering as possible and
in so doing forgo the honor of suffering for
Jesus. It is a privilege for us as his people
to share his sufferings as the ungodly persecute
Jesus. If you and I desire to live godly in Christ
Jesus, that is, if we make this a priority in
our lives, indeed the priority in our lives,
then we will suffer persecution, says Paul in
2 Timothy chapter 3. But it's an honor and it's
a glory to suffer shame for Jesus' sake, to suffer
as a Christian, a follower of Christ. We are
at one with him and we share the power of his
resurrection We share the fellowship of his suffering
and we share conformity to his death What death
is that death to this world death to this life?
You and I need to learn the experience of bringing
every circumstance in our lives to the cross
of Jesus and they're dying to it. Whether it
be the loss of our material things in this world,
as hard as that is, or it be a promotion at work
that gives us the position we've always wanted,
let us bring every circumstance of this world
to the cross of Jesus Christ and there die to
it with him. Conformity to his death. That is,
we die to it so that it does not overcome us.
We die to it so that we do not become a victim
to that circumstance, but victors in Jesus Christ
over the circumstance. Paul says we share likewise
the hope of a future resurrection. He says, and
so somehow to attain to the resurrection of the
dead. He uses a unique expression here. that
is a little tough to figure out, but Paul is
undoubtedly talking about that future time when
he will be called from the grave to be with the
Lord. He says we share union with Jesus Christ,
and one day that union is going to mean that
we too will be raised from the dead. We have
the power of the resurrection at work now within
us. as we share the fellowship of his sufferings
and are made conformed to his death, and one
day we will share in the literal, physical, bodily,
glorious resurrection from the grave. Why? Because
of our union with Christ. Paul says when we set
as a priority to know Jesus Christ, that union
that we've just talked about, all of that's developed,
it's matured, it becomes real. In our daily living,
more than just a doctrine we believe, it becomes
the power of our lives. The second truth that
he tells us about this priority is that it demands
a lifelong pursuit. We don't ever get to the
place in life where we have arrived at spiritual
maturity in the perfect sense. In fact, Paul
himself disavowed that kind of a point. He says,
not that I've obtained all this, or am already
made perfect. He says, I'm not. Even the great
apostle, the spiritual giant, says he hasn't
arrived yet. I find encouragement in that, and
I hope you do too. The fact that we aren't perfect
yet. The fact that we still have many areas of
our lives, where God is at work, is an experience
that all believers share. It is a lifelong pursuit,
this deepening knowledge of Jesus Christ that
brings eventual maturity. And one day, when we're
with Him, we'll bring perfection. Paul says,
I haven't arrived yet, but I'll tell you this,
I've made a resolution. He says, this one thing
I do. Someone has said how much better to say
this one thing I do than these 20 things I dabble
in. The tendency that we have is to dabble in
a lot of things. A little here and a little there
and keep the plate spinning. And Paul says there's
really one thing I do. I have a central focus.
He comes back again to his point, the priority
of knowing Jesus Christ in a more intimate way.
Vance Hevner wrote in a book, I shall never forget
Dr. R. A. Torrey saying to me as a young preacher,
young man make up your mind on one thing and
stick to it. Have you ever made up your mind
about one thing? Havner goes on to say, the Christian
life should be like a sword with one point, not
like a broom ending in many straws. That's picturesque,
isn't it? The Christian life should be like a
sword with one point, not like a broom that ends
with many straws. He says, this one thing I do.
I resolve this, forgetting what is behind. Somebody
said, don't let yesterday take up too much of
your today. How easy all of us find it to go
back to yesterday, to perhaps its failures and
its disappointments. and its sorrows and we drag
them into today and we live with them. Or perhaps
we go to yesterday and we bring the success that
we had and we bring the blessing that we had
and we put it in today as though we could live
off of yesterday's manna. Paul says, I forget
whatever's behind. It's over. It's done. It's
finished. It's there. It's a part of the historical
record, but let it remain record. Don't bring
it into today. Forgetting what is behind, he
says, and straining toward what is ahead. He
is using here an athletic kind of picture. A
runner in a race. who as he is running around
the track, dares not stop to smell the flowers.
There may be a time to smell the flowers, but
not when you're in a race. He has to forget all
the things that are flashing by him and focus
on one thing, and that's the goal line. And he
has to strain for it. He has to push himself
for it. It involves a certain threshold of pain
in running a race like that. And pushing yourself
beyond that threshold, straining, he says, I
press on toward the goal. Now twice in these
verses, Paul says, I press on. In verse 12, he
says, I press on to take hold of that for which
Christ Jesus took hold of me. And then he says,
I press toward the goal to win the prize. Same
idea. Jesus Christ had taken a hold of Paul so
that one day Paul could be a perfect reflector,
a perfect likeness of Jesus himself. By the way,
that's why he's laid hold of you too. And Paul
says, I am pressing on so that one day I can
experience that. He says that is the goal. That's
the goal line at the end of the race. That's
what I'm pressing on toward. That prize that
comes with the upward calling, the call to heaven
in Christ Jesus. That is just as much the goal
line for you and for me as it was for Paul 1900
years ago. And Paul says, I am pressing on. You
see, we don't arrive there in this life. It is
always sad to see Christians who retire from
the vocations and think that their work is done
in this world for God. Boy, they're retired.
They have no more responsibilities. Not in the
slightest. We can retire from our vocation in
this world, and that's a wonderful point to arrive
to, but let us never think that we have suddenly
arrived at the end of God's purpose for us in
this world. God still has work to do within us,
and God still has work to do through us at every
stage in life until we finally get to that goal,
that point that we cross the line and we're safe
at home in heaven. Paul says I want to know Jesus
Christ I Want to experience the fullness of my
union with him death and suffering and resurrection
He says that is a lifelong pursuit with me And
I am unwilling to let anything get in my way.
I Forget what is behind I pay no attention to
what's around me. I am pressing on to the goal
to cross that line. And finally, he tells us
regarding this truth, this priority of deepening
our knowledge of Jesus Christ, that it depends
upon our continued obedience. You see, it is
possible to get sidetracked in life. possible
for us as Christians to come short of the goal,
to stop before we get to the end of the race.
If we are going to deepen our knowledge of Jesus
Christ and cross the line, he says, it depends
upon our continued obedience. Look how he puts
it. He gives us an assurance first in verse 15.
He says, all of us who are mature, He doesn't
mean perfectly mature, but he means who are at
a point of stability in our Christian life, no
longer babes, should take such a view of things,
that is the view that he's just expressed. To
see life as passing by and to see the goal line
down there at the end of the race and to press
on toward that. He says we ought to look at life
that way. And he says, if on some point you think
differently, God will make it clear to you that
the assurance that I see here is that God is
still at work in us at every stage. That God
isn't going to leave us alone. That God is going
to drop us off somewhere along the way, even
if we stumble in the race and fall. God is still
going to pick us up and keep us moving. But he
goes on to say the human part of it is only let
us live up to what we've already attained There's
the admonition There's my responsibility and
God is going to do his part, but I've got a part
too. I've got a part too The fact is that most
of us know more than we practice And so the goal
that we ought to have is to live up to what we've
attained in our knowing of Jesus Christ. The
priority of knowing Him more deeply and more
intimately will become a reality if we continue
on in our obedience. The real proof of the Christian
life, the real evidence that it's genuine, is
growth. It does not always grow at the same pace,
but the Christian life will always be growing
toward maturity. The Australian coat of arms
has pictured in it two creatures, an emu, which
is a large bird, a rather strange looking bird
that cannot fly. and a kangaroo. Both of them
find Australia as a natural habitat. I suppose
that's one reason that they're on the coat of
arms. But the main reason they were chosen, I'm
told, is that both of these creatures have one
thing in common, though they come from different
species. Neither of these creatures can move
backwards. The emu, because of the way that its
feet are formed, is three -toed. It cannot go
backwards. If it tries to, it will fall. And
the kangaroo has something in the way back there.
So it cannot go backwards. And the point of putting
those two creatures on the coat of arms, I'm
told, is that it shows the spirit of Australia
only going forward. I don't know if I want a
kangaroo or an emu on my coat of arms, but I
do know this. Down in my heart of hearts, I want
that to be true about me. And I believe you want
it to be true about you if you're a child of
God. We want to go forward. Paul says you got
to make it the priority of your life. You've
got to forget other things. Not that there aren't
other issues we have to deal with. I mean, Paul
had his plate full of other issues he had to
deal with, but he had one priority that was above
everything else. It was singular. It was unique.
It stood out in a category by itself, and that
was to know Jesus Christ whatever circumstance
came to him. So the point of the message this
morning is, in whatever your set of circumstances
today, is that your priority? Have you looked
at what you're passing through as a means to
knowing Jesus Christ more deeply? You say, oh,
but you don't understand what is taken out of
me. No, I probably don't and can't, but I do
know that there's the power of the resurrection
that can be developed in your life if you'll
make knowing Him your priority. In your weakness,
you'll find His strength being made perfect.
You say, but you don't know what I've suffered
in this circumstance. No, but Jesus does and
we can know fellowship with Him in suffering.
You say, but you don't know what it's cost me,
no? But I know that as we deepen our knowledge
with him, we'll understand something about conforming
to his death, the cross death, the priority of
life, knowing Jesus Christ. And then once we
have known him and as we are knowing him more
deeply, to make him known to others. Would you
bow with me in prayer, please? If you're sitting
there saying, well pastor, you just don't really
understand the heartache that I'm experiencing
today. You don't know the problem that I'm facing.
That's probably true. Indeed, it would be true
of 99 out of 100 cases in this room. But you
know what you're passing through and Jesus Christ
knows and you can at this moment if you will
say to him Lord I Want to know you And I am making
that The number one priority in what I'm passing
through right now Will you say that to Him? God,
I pray that each one of us will make that the
singular priority in our experience to deepen
our knowledge of your Son, Jesus Christ. May
we go beyond that initial bud phase and experience
the full blossom of a fragrant of a deep and
intimate knowledge of the one with whom we are
in union. And may we run with the discipline
of an athlete and press on to the goal. I especially
would pray for some brother or some sister here
this morning who is deep in the slew of discouragement
and despondency. Lord Jesus, pick up their feet
and move them to solid ground and today may there
be a resolve within that by the power of the
resurrection they will press on to the goal.
Thank you for speaking to us and for giving us
the assurance that you're with us and you're
not going to forsake us. If we're in, we come
short. You're going to show it to us and move
us on. Amen.