Philippians 6 - Knowing Christ
Phil. 3:8-10
The greatest man in history, Jesus, had no servants, yet they called Him Master. Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. Had no medicine, yet they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet Kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.
Paul breaks out in Phil. 2: into a soliloquy of praise and adoration of Christ.
9 Therefore God (the Father) exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave Jesus the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus, yes Jesus Christ is Lord, and every knee will bow to that name.
Paul in Phil 3:10 now breaks out into a life passion and states:
yes, yes, yes, I want to know Christ.
—yes, this Christ Jesus who is the Lord.
The highest gem you can procure is Christ Himself. To know Christ.
The greatest fiscal value continually achieved is the value of knowing Christ Himself. To know Christ. Oh, if only you could know the Christ the real Christ.
The grandest worth ever obtained is the treasure of knowing Christ Himself.
It is not knowing about Christ it is knowing Christ Himself.
This Christ we want to know, this lily of the valley, this rose of Sharon, this bright and morning star, this is Christ, Himself, He is our Christ.
Christ, the King of heaven, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, Creator of life and sustainer of life this is Christ, Himself, our Precious Christ. This is the Christ we want to know.
Beloved Christ, this bread from Heaven, this living water that quenches our soul’s thirst, and whose blood removes all stains of sin and makes us white as snow. This is the Christ to know, to love to grow closer to, moment by moment.
This is how Paul writes about the passion to know Christ.
Philippians 3:8-10 The Voice
8 And more so, I now realize that all I gained, and thought was important was nothing but yesterday’s garbage compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For Him I have thrown everything aside—it’s nothing but a pile of waste—so that I may gain Him. 9 When it counts, I want to be found belonging to Him, not clinging to my own righteousness based on law, but actively relying on the faithfulness of Christ. This is true righteousness, supplied by God, acquired by faith. à
10 I want to know Christ, intimately. I want to experience the power of His resurrection and even experience the depth of His suffering.
Passion for Christ comes through knowing Him intimately. Claiming to know someone usually means we know things about the person or simply we are aware he or she exists.
-But Jesus in His magnificent prayer in John 17 states directly that what you really want & need is to know God and you want to know Jesus Christ. Not know about Christ but actually know/experience Christ.
John 17:3 Jesus said:
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
-In other words, knowing Jesus Christ in this life has the quality of eternal life, this is the abundant life! This is the heart of what Paul is saying here in Philippians. "Knowing Jesus is better than all things." "Knowing Jesus is more valuable than all things."
That's why so many people can rightly talk about having a "personal relationship" with Jesus. I do, many of you do. He is the One to whom you speak and walk with, He is the one to whom you listen to. And He is the One whom you obey.
Philippians 3:7-9 “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, à
counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ, (to know Him) and to become one with Him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with Himself depends on faith.
I want to know Christ…”
Q -What in your life has infinite value? The Bible says that knowing Christ is of infinite value, of inestimable worth. What in your life has infinite value?
-Ask God now, right where you are to help you truly know Him better, beyond just knowing about Him or having intellectual knowledge of Him. Pray that He would grow your personal relationship with Christ to the point that it holds infinite value to you.
Do you want to know God, do you really want to grow deeper in your relationship with Him? You know God keenly desires your relationship with Him to grow!!
Revelation 3:20 New American Standard Bible
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in, to him and will dine with him (that is I will sup with you, relate to you, enjoy your presence), and he with Me.
-open the door, your door, the door to your heart and mind
-invite Him in, oh sweet Lord, enter in àplease
Talk with Him -pray, pray often,
Listen to Him -read His word, carefully, thoughtfully.
Listen to Him speak to your heart, God prompts us, leads us.
Be quiet before Him and commune with Him.
Everyday pray - Lord come, enter in, You are welcomed and needed
I want to know you, Christ my Lord.
2 sentences from ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’. Says this:
O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.
Enter in Lord, be born afresh today in my heart.
I want to know Christ which is of infinite valve to me.
As your relationship with Jesus begins to hold more value to you, ask Him to show you anything in your life that needs to hold less value. Pray He would grow you to the point of being able to see everything as less compared to the value of knowing Jesus.
(illus)
I enjoy listening to you tube clips of congregational singing. I have particularly delighted in hearing the people of Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in Belfast, Ireland sing with their open hearts. To hear them sing with such fervor thrills my soul as I contemplate the words they sing. I open my heart to God and listen and ponder and I can’t help but break out into praise, adoration, thankfulness and many times tears.
Often when we sing here at Riverside I cannot sing as I am overwhelmed with His presence and the words which are being sung. We sing this song, ‘He is here’, listen to this chorus:
He is here, Hallelujah! He is here, Amen! He is here, Holy, Holy I will bless His name again He is here, listen closely Hear Him calling out your name He is here, you can touch Him You will never be the same.
I want to know Christ … deeply and intimately, fully, thoroughly.
I want my relationship with Christ to grow, to deepen and to impact others for God.
I sincerely want your relationship with Christ to grow, to deepen and to impact others for God.
I have felt God’s comforting and holy presence in my life, I have experienced His goodness and His ample provision in my life. His calling on my life I have known and know now. His surrounding love I enjoy, His peace in the storm I have marveled at.
My faith has found a resting place Not in device nor creed I trust the Ever-living One, (Jesus Christ the Lord) His wounds for me shall plead. (Christ awaits you -open the door).
If this is your desire today, to know Christ, perhaps you have never opened your heart’s door to Him and you would like to, or maybe you are a Christian already but desire to know Christ more deeply -than pray this prayer with me in your heart.
(Prayer)
Our Father in heaven please forgive me and cleanse me afresh through Christ our Saviour. Lord, I hear you knocking, and I open my heart’s door. Come in today, come in and stay, help me to know You more deeply, help me grow in my faith. Lord, I submit to Your will in my life and commit myself to following You with my whole heart. Thank you, come in I pray through Christ Jesus the Lord. Amen.
Riverside Oct 8, 2023
