"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11 ESV)
During this Christmas season we celebrate the awesome fact of God becoming Man in the form of a little child. This little child grew into a man doing whatever the Father and the Holy Spirit direct Him to do. He modeled love. He was love. He calls his followers to love His Father as He loves us unconditionally.
This passage in Philippians suggests a passion borne of someone who has spent time with Jesus. It is a passion that all God's people need to have if we want to be taken seriously as Jesus' followers. When we are around others what makes us noticed: our great learning or our love for God and others. God let it be the later!
This kind of gnosis (knowledge) really illustrates the sharp contrast of Paul’s understanding of knowledge with that of the contemporary world. He understands the knowledge of Christ to be so much richer than knowledge gained about Him from a sermon or in a classroom. Paul’s knowledge of Christ was that of one completely given over in an intimate relationship. The passion expressed in the words “… the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them all rubbish, that I main gain Christ.” Is unmistakable. Here is a man that did not get Jesus from a book, but from involvement in His very life. Merry Christmas and a New Year full of opportunities to share the love of God to others!
Pray: “Dear Lord, help us to pray the same prayer as Paul: that we all may really know Jesus, intimately.”