Lesson 15

After All These Years

Philippians 3:8-11

Today, I would like a share from a letter which was written by man long ago. Time won't allow me to read all the letter, but I will read a section of it. I suspect that most of you have heard of this man, but I'll save his name for now. Before I read from the letter, let me tell you a little about the person who wrote it.

One day, many years ago, a traveler, on a religious business trip, had a dramatic experience. He was blinded by brilliant light, he heard a voice speaking to him. To put it short, he met a person that day. This experience, paradoxically, opened his eyes and gave him an entirely new perspective on his life. He began to re-evaluate the things which he valued. He had always placed great importance on his "inherited advantages". He was from a respected family. His parents had seen to it that he had had the religious ritual performed on him as an infant. He was given a religious education. In his father's footsteps, he joined himself to the most conservative wing of the religion, worked very hard at propagating his beliefs, and was tremendously respected by his peers for his moral integrity. He was upwardly mobile in the religious hierarchy ... until this experience while traveling one day. Suddenly, he realized that all of those things which he had considered advantages were, in fact, hinderances! That trip was a life-changing experience! The whole direction of his life changed. He severed all his ties with his former religion. You can imagine how much criticism he faced from his former friends. In fact, a lot of people were hostile towards him, thereafter. But that didn't matter to him! He started traveling all over the world just to tell everybody he met about the person that he had encountered that day on the road. He was hoping that others would meet him, too!

Now, nearly 30 years have passed since his "life-changing experience". Things have not gone very well for him. For one thing, not very many people understand him. They don't like what they can't understand. I heard that he had really been put through the ringer. In fact, last I heard he was in jail, well, actually, he had been arrested and was under house arrest.

Now, the thing that I am wondering is, after all these years, and, really, all of the difficulty which he has had to endure, if he still feels the way that he did that day on the road. I wonder if he has changed his mind. I wonder, if he had to do it over, knowing what he knows now, would he do the same thing. I wonder if he has any regrets. And I really would like to know, what does he value now? What is important to him now, after all these years.

Let me read from the letter. Oh, by the way, you can read along with me! (Philippians 3:4-11). You see, the person is Paul and the letter, Philippians. Now, the first part of this is stuff I've already told you about. All of the advantages which were really hinderances. But there is a tense change between verse 7 and verse 8. Verse 7 is in the past tense; verse 8 is in the present progressive tense. Thus, beginning in verse 8, we find out how, after nearly 30 years, Paul feels about his decision that day on the road to Damascus.

Verses 8-11, are all one very long, very compound sentence, which is not easily understood. These 4 verses divide into 2 headings. Verses 8 & 9 describe what Paul has gained in Christ; verses 10 & 11 how he growing in Christ. In 8-9 we see his salvation; in 10-11 his sanctification. Verse 8-9 have to do with his position as a believer; verses 10-11 with his progress as a believer. Verses 8-9 tell of his delight, knowing Christ; verses 10-11 of his desire, to know Christ more intimately.

I. The Delight of Knowing Christ, 3:8-9.

A. Expressed, v.8.

Here, Paul acknowledges that he has suffered the loss of everything for Christ. Does he have any regrets? Absolutely not! If we were writing verse 8 today, here's how we might put it: "Yes, indeed, even now, early 30 years later, I regard everything else as nothing for the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord: for him I have given up everything and consider it as worthless waste so that I might have Christ, and that he might have me." In spite of everything that Paul has turned his back on, his success, his prestige, his family, his freedom, he has no regrets. Everything else pales in comparison to the glory of knowing Christ. Nothing else seems important. In fact, Paul uses the strongest language, "I count them as dung" (I regard them as worthless waste).

Paul is a living example of what Jesus taught in the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price (see Matthew 13:44-46). Salvation in Christ is so valuable, that a man would sell everything he has in order to have it! The rich young ruler wouldn't! But Paul would and did!

Would you? Do you put that kind of value on knowing Christ? Is it worth more to know Christ than everything else? Perhaps you felt that way when you were first saved. But do you feel that way now, after all these years? Or has the value of knowing Christ lost some of its luster and wonder in your estimation?

B. Explained, v.9.

Having expressed his delight in knowing Christ, Paul now backs up a little to explain exactly what it means to know Christ. It means that you are "found in him", that is, you belong to him. It means that you are not trusting in your own righteousness, your own ability to keep God's law, but that you have put all your trust, all your hope of eternal life in Christ. It is not what you do that makes you righteous, but where you are! True righteousness comes from God, through trust in Jesus Christ (II Cor. 5:21).

II. The Desire To Know Christ Better, 3:10-11.

The fact that Paul now knows Christ, now stands righteous in Christ before God, does not mean that he has arrived, that he can sit back and coast into heaven! He now expresses a overwhelming desire to know Christ more intimately! Peter tells us to grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:18). That is the desire of a Christian. That was the desire of Paul. Knowing Christ is wonderful. But Paul wants to know him better. He says, "That I may know him ..." Paul desired to get closer and closer to Christ. So close that he would experience what Christ had experienced.

That Christ's risen life would mean power in Paul's life; that Christ's sufferings would be Paul's sufferings even to the death; and that, at last, Paul would be raised up even as Christ was.

Please don't be confused by verse 11. When you read it you may get the idea that Paul is uncertain as to whether he will be resurrected. But it is not doubt which Paul is expressing. It is deep desire. "Though I do not deserve it, I desire to be share with Christ the resurrection.

After all these years, Paul values his relationship with Christ above all else. What he has given up for Christ, does not compare with what he has gained in Christ. With Paul there are no regrets only a deep and abiding desire to know his Lord more intimately.

No one who has laid down all things for Christ ever seems dissatisfied with the exchange. On the contrary, those who have done so seem possessed of joy unknown to others. A missionary with more than 40 years of experience in China was speaking to a small group gathered in the midweek prayer meeting. He had been talking about the incident when Mary anointed the Savior with her costly ointment. The breaking of the alabaster box, he said, symbolized an utter devotion to Christ. "There are some Christians," he said, "who do not know what it is to give their all for Christ." His eyes grew moist and he added modestly, "But I think I do, and I am sorry for those who don't." "They were the ones who missed the greater gain."

How do you feel about Christ after all these years?