My Goal in Living
MY GOAL IN LIVING
PHILIPPIANS 3:7‑11
Paul's Philippian letter contains what many consider to be the three greatest challenges for Christian life ever issued by this greatest of Christian thinkers and leaders. In 1:21, he makes the justly famous assertion of his life's purpose, his raison d'tre, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." We are challenged by this lofty expression of purpose ‑ forced to review our own purpose in life. In 4:13, he reveals the source of his seemingly boundless strength and abilities in pursuit of his life's purpose, saying, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." We must confess that we believe the statement at every level but the practical. But it is this singular view expressed in 3:10 which at once humbles us and confronts us, demanding that we review our lives as professed children of the Lord. "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death," for it combines the soaring purpose and power of both the aforementioned statements, uniting them into one grand scheme of life. It is as though the apostle said, "This is my goal in living!" It is those words, accepted as a challenge to our own lives, which we consider in our message today, for it probes deeply the heart of each of us, asking us to define our own goal in living.
BACKGROUND ‑ In a few, succinct words, this wizened little hunchback man ‑ though from a nation despised by the elite of the world, he was a giant spiritually ‑ pictures the resources from which he might have drawn strength and consolation. Those words, "I have more . . . ," are not idle boasting; they speak the truth. An eighth day man. An Israelite. A Benjamite, the tribe from which the first king of the nation had come. A hebrew of Hebrews. He had "out‑Hebrewed" all the rest of the people. A Pharisee. Despise them if you will but keep something in mind: the Pharisees were a movement of the people; they were a people of the book, adhering to the Word tenaciously; they were conservatives in the midst of a religion increasingly dominated by rank modernists; they were respected as spiritual leaders. Zealous. No one could accuse this man of lacking in zeal; he was willing to persecute for the sake of his religion. In fact, he was willing to assume the lead in such persecution in an attempt to purify his religion. Faultless, no mere word. The demands of the pharisaical system were greater then we can imagine: to stop as you walked with a prescribed, mandatory regularity, that you might pray; to cover your eyes as you walked so that you might not look on a woman and lust; to diligently and carefully insure that all you received was counted so that a tithe might be assured (twenty‑three percent when it was all added up); to keep six hundred thirteen positive commands of the Old Testament; and to maintain all the interpretations of the fathers. To insist that one was faultless in this complex religious observance is simply incompreHensible. No wonder the apostle maintains he had ample reason to place confidence in his flesh.
He did not rely on these things so highly prized in his world, however. In fact, as he reviewed the aspects of his life which might have provided comfort, he was possessed of a strange view: that which once was to his profit was now seen as rubbish. Position by virtue of his family? Rubbish! Nationality? Rubbish! Race? Rubbish! Lineage? Rubbish! Religious training and background? Rubbish! Zeal? Rubbish! Faultlessness? Rubbish! Nothing counted when compared to knowing the One he served. All that we imagine to be of worth to human advancement is seen as mere garbage.
Permit me to become somewhat personal at this early stage of the message. Have you ever said of someone, "If only he were a Christian, he could do great things for God."? Perhaps you viewed their ability to speak, their athletic prowess, their musical skills, or physical attractiveness. Considering these varied aspects of their life you were led to speculate on their potential effectiveness. I confess that some few individuals occupy positions of respect from which they exercise a degree of influence; but I insist they are exceptions. For far more of the Church at the threshold of the Twenty‑First Century, dependence upon those aspects man admires and holds in great esteem have proved a snare. Were the apostle before us, he would say of all these things we think of great worth, "Rubbish! Garbage!"
Let me probe a little deeper still. Do you find it easy to rest on personal abilities? Do you ever aspire to some particular responsibility within the Body because of some skill or enablement you possess? Do you refrain from some labour within the Kingdom of God you feel you should enter into, thinking that you are unfitted by reason of lack of training? It is common to think that we can "help God" through our skills, talents or abilities. It is equally common to imagine that we will not be suited to some task we know we are called to because we lack skill, talent or ability. Permit me to caution you at this point; the proper view of human ability is, "Rubbish!" When we become dependent upon human effort as of primary importance, such human abilities will cause us to become unfruitful, unproductive and unprofitable.
I do not imply that God will never use our abilities, I do mean that we must have a proper view of them if we would employ them to His glory. The purpose of God's gifts in our lives is to provide what is lacking in the Body. God is not reduced to searching out man's skills in order to advance the cause of the church. He is sovereign and supreme and well able to provide what is required in His Church [1 CORINTHIANS 12:7,11]. The apostle found it necessary to deal ruthlessly with his background. He found it necessary to consider his past as worthless in order that Christ might be supreme [cf. 1 CORINTHIANS 9:24‑27].
I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST PERSONALLY. In that tenth verse, Paul openly espouses his life goal when he writes: "I want to know Christ." In the Greek, this is but a continuation of the thought begun in verse seven. The constant thought is the superiority of knowing Christ to anything which he might achieve or obtain in this present world. It is a constant refrain punctuating the apostle's message now: "I want to know Christ." That which might have been to my benefit is viewed as loss for the sake of Christ. Everything is considered a loss compared to the knowledge of Christ. I consider everything else as rubbish if only I may gain Christ and His righteousness. I want to know Christ.
You will recall that Paul had met Christ in that cataclysmic encounter on the Damascus Road [ACTS 9:1‑5]. Twenty years later, the experience of meeting the Risen Christ was still fresh in his mind, vivid and constantly before him in sharp relief [ACTS 22:6‑10]. However, his encounter with Christ was no mere experience occurring once and then recalled only on selected occasions. No! In a testimony service, Paul would speak in the presence tense. For Paul, Christ was a current reality, present always, though he might not necessarily see Him. He was frequently reminded of the presence of the Lord [cf. ACTS 23:11; 27:23‑25]. This raises a disturbing question for us who follow in his steps: Do we clearly recall our conversion experience? Does the memory of our first brush with the arresting love of God linger fresh in our memories? How real was the presence of Christ when we were first saved! Is He still real, vivid and fresh?
The apostle knew the words of the Risen Christ, Who having issued the Great Commission encouraged His disciples for all time when He said, "Surely I am with you always" [MATTHEW 28:18‑20]. He accepted that Christ was ever with him. Though the words of HEBREWS 13:5b,6 may not have been penned by Paul, they yet express the confidence of his heart, we are certain. Do you recall those words?
God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."
So we say with confidence,
The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"
So very often I grow despondent, believing that myself to be deserted and alone, thinking that I must surely be fighting God's battles without another soul in the world to stand with me. I play the Elijah scene, looking for a tamarisk tree to sit under, wishing I could die. At such times, God has a way a lifting the spirits of His weary people. He reveals Himself and forces us to focus on Him ‑ on His power ‑ on His ability ‑ on His care and His compassion. One of my favorite verses in all of the Book is HEBREWS 11:27b, "he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible". This is a great encouragement to the tired heart, a soft pillow for the weary head. Do you remember the incident involving the Aramean attempt to capture Elisha [2 KINGS 6:8‑17]? Just as Elisha's servant was in need of having his eyes opened, we need our eyes opened. We need someone to pray for us, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." We need someone to remind us, "Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." We need to seize upon that promise that "the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" [1 JOHN 4:4b]. As I come to know the Lord personally, I focus more and more on Him and less and less on self. As I focus on the Risen Lord, seeking to know Him personally, I cease relying on sight and on my own abilities.
How real is Christ to you? How fresh is His presence? Do you now know the experience of walking with Christ? Do you presently know the experience of being guided by Christ? Have you the confidence that you are now directed by Him? Is He near you? Is He with you? Do you literally panting after Him as taught by the Psalmist [PSALM 42:1,2]. Oh, that with the apostle you and I might say, "I want to know Christ . . . personally."
I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST POWERFULLY. The apostle relates that he wants to know Christ, and the thrust of his statement is that he wants to know Him in an intimate fashion; but he also speaks of his longing to know as well the power of His resurrection. I state categorically and without reservation, if I would know Christ, I must be willing not only to walk with Him through His days of glory, but I must be willing to walk with Him to Calvary; the one cannot preclude the other. I must be willing to enter the tomb with Him. I must experience death if I would experience life. My past must be counted as rubbish ‑ discarded and buried ‑ if my present will experience the power of His resurrection.
Zero in on this concept of the power of His resurrection. Somehow, the words sound foreign to us. Our nature rebels at the thought of dying. Perhaps we are not assured of the resurrection; but look to the Word [EPHESIANS 1:15‑23]. The power of the resurrection is revealed to be associated with three great needs each of us have. It gives life. We are powerless to lead others from death to life until we know the power of the resurrection. It exalts Christ. We are powerless to glorify Christ, to honour Him, to exalt His Name, until we have experienced a death and known the power of His resurrection. It builds the Church. I will find myself ineffective in the exercise of my gifts, in the building of the church, until I have experienced the power of His resurrection. I recommend that one of the great failures of the modern church is the failure to grasp the importance of resurrection power for our present life.
Resurrection power gives the believer great assurance in varied areas of importance. Resurrection power assures us of immortality [1 CORINTHIANS 15:12‑19], for we believe that just as Christ is risen victorious, so we are assured that we shall be raised. Resurrection power assures us of the dignity of our own bodies [1 CORINTHIANS 6:12‑15]. If that same power which raised Christ shall also raise our bodies, then we are possessed of a dignity which precludes wanton and willful unrighteousness. That resurrection power of which I speak assures us of our ultimate triumph over sin [ROMANS 4:23‑5:5]. It is by the resurrection of Christ that we are justified, and given the promise that we shall finally prevail over sin and all its detrimental effects. Resurrection power stimulates moral and spiritual life [ROMANS 6:4‑7]. In my baptism I profess my confidence in Christ finished work, and I willingly identify with Him in death and in life. How can I soon return to a life of sin if I truly comprehend what it means to be raised with Him? To know Christ in His resurrection is to discover an inexhaustible source of power for Christian life. Do you recall the words of Christ, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses . . ."? Resurrection power could not be experienced until Christ had been raised. After His resurrection, He could send His Holy Spirit to empower His people, to enable them to accomplish what would otherwise be impossible.
I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST PASSIONATELY. Paul says a strange thing at this point in his self‑revelation. He has related his desire to know Christ personally, and he has spoken of his longing to know Christ powerfully. Now he says, "[I want to know] the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death." Such powerfully expressed sentiments cause us to take immediate notice. We find ourselves reacting as though this were some morbid thought which is utterly foreign to our thinking ‑ and too often it is!
The thought expressed partly follows and partly precedes that of knowing the power of His resurrection. Our Lord is referred to as "a man of sorrows" [ISAIAH 53:3]. Our Lord did not merely speak of love, He personified love. On the eve of the Passover Meal which presaged His sacrifice, we read of the Lord Christ, "Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love" [JOHN 13:1b]. That love was beyond comprehension, for we know the challenge of love which He presented at that time of the Last Supper: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" [JOHN 15:13]. When Paul speaks of sharing in the sufferings of Christ, becoming like Him in His death, he is not referring to providing for his own atonement, as some suppose. Atonement was made at the Cross by Christ Himself. We cannot add to our salvation. Paul is referring to the example of the Cross. It was in this that our Lord demonstrated His great love, and Paul refers to being conformed to that sacrificial love. Paul wants to be so like Christ that he willingly gives his life for the benefit of the brothers.
What price will you pay in order to serve Christ? Is your service to Him predicated upon convenience? Or is it based upon conviction? I often think we do new believers a grave disservice when we fail to warn them of the cost of dedicated service as a believer. We have a generation of pious pansies filling the pews of too many of the churches of our Lord. They will serve so long as the weather is not too hot, or too cold. In fact, the weather must be just right ‑ lukewarm. They are just like the weather ‑ lukewarm. Perhaps we who imagine ourselves to be leaders are to blame because we have failed to demand service out of conviction. Think of the message which old Ananias was commissioned to deliver to the new disciple: "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the peoples of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." [ACTS 9:15,16]. What would happen if in our churches we began to say to people, "Membership here is demanding. We expect you to faithfully participate in the life of the Body. We expect you to faithfully support the congregation with your life and with your goods. We expect you to openly live as a believer, honouring Christ through your actions and through your attitudes." That revival some have imagined to be taking place would be immediately squelched. Perhaps we would have fewer converts at the first, but we would shortly see revival. The first disciples did not hesitate to speak of the hazards of faith in Christ. Think of the repeated warnings throughout the Word [2 TIMOTHY 3:10‑12; PHILIPPIANS 2:5‑8; 2 CORINTHIANS 11:21b‑33; JOHN 16:1‑4; JOHN 15:18‑25]. The gnostic Gospel of Thomas has preserved a saying supposed to have come from Jesus. He is quoted as saying, "Whoever is near me is near the fire [Logion 82]." Though not canonical, it is accurate.
We do outsiders and new converts a disservice when we fail challenge them to sacrificial service or refuse to estimate their courage by the grace of God at least as great as that of the fathers. The cause of Christ demands the best we can give, not the least with which we can slip by. I felt, while in postgraduate work and observing the attitude with which minority students were treated in medical school, that I was witness to patronizing attitudes which could only degrade otherwise great men and women. I feel that in the church, anything less then brutal honesty which demands our utmost for His cause is spiritual patronization.
Will you know Christ personally? Will you know Christ powerfully? Then you must know Christ passionately. I pray that our God will raise up a handful of men and women who will say with the apostle: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" [GALATIANS 2:20]. Look back to your baptism, recalling the declaration you made then [ROMANS 6:4‑6]. Will you not confess your desire to now know Christ personally, powerfully, passionately?
n.b. preached 28 Oct, 90