“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 (Philippians 3:10)
a) I want to know Christ
Hebrews 1:3 says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for his sins, he sat at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Knowing Christ is equivalent to knowing God and the knowledge of the Holy One means understanding. Jesus is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact representation of God.
I want to know Christ.
I want to make a relationship with Christ.
I forget about everything else and I yearn for the glory of Christ.
I want to be sustained by the powerful word of Christ.
I want to know Christ.
I have a burning desire to know him better
I want a deeper understanding of his glory
Meeting Christ is not enough, you have to have a mutual relationship with him. To grow as a Christian you have to have a better understanding of who he is.
b) I want to know the power of his resurrection
“Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God,” (Colossians 3:1). Knowing the power of his resurrection means focusing where he is. He was raised and he went to sit at the right hand of God.
He conquered the world and hence he is the Lord of Glory. Therefore we should set our hearts where is, on the things above, were our treasure is. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal,” (2 Corinthians 4: 18).
The power of his resurrection is that we were raised with him. “When you were dead in your sins and in the circumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,” (Colossians 2:3).
The power of his resurrection made us to be alive. The power of his resurrection is a fulfillment of the promise that if we believe in him we shall have eternal life. We are born again because we were dead in our sins. The only way to know the power of his resurrection is focusing on the things above.
c) I want to know the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings
Knowing Jesus means building a relationship/friendship with him. A true friend is one who shares even in his suffering, the pains of his friend. “Now, if we are children then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. If indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8: 17).
In the consequent verse Paul says: I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. “But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you… However, if you suffer as a Christian do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name… So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good,” (1 Peter 4: 13-14, 16, 19).
As a Christian you should not fear when you suffer because Christ also suffered but endured until the end. Fellowship in his sharing in his suffering means staying strong by doing the following:
i) Rejoice
ii) Praise God
iii) Commit to the faithful Creator
iv) Continue to do good
d) Becoming like him in his death
The humility of Jesus Christ was outstanding even in his death such that the people who watched testified that surely he is the son of God. He suffered like any human being but he humbled himself even though he was in the very nature of God.
That is the attitude we need to develop. Even though we may be co-heirs with him that should not be something we boast about and exalt ourselves. Pride should not overrule the way we handle ourselves. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: …and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5, 8).
Conclusion
I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST JESUS AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SHARING IN HIS SUFFERINGS, BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH
[Know who he is, focus on where he is, appreciate how he felt, and do what he did when he died]
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