August 10, 2013 Knowing Jesus

Read Philippians 3:10-11 Knowing Jesus 10 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, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. IT is a wonderful thing to know something, isn’t it? When you know someone loves you, you live with an emotional security to trust that person. You are certain the one who loves you will be “there” for you. For about 35 years Paul has been getting to know Jesus. Jesus came along one day (Acts 9) to disrupt Paul’s life, to change him from a man of power and prestige to a man who was impoverished and persecuted for the Jesus he was getting to know. Because of his trials, he grew to know Jesus was always “there” for him as Jesus saved him to live and minister another day. Paul came to know Jesus would give him enough food to eat and clothes to cover his nakedness. He would know, too, that Jesus would build his church into an evil culture of idolatry and devil worship. After these “knowing” experiences, what does Paul want? He longs to know and trust even more deeply the Holy Spirit’s power that raised Jesus from the tomb. He hungers to attain that knowing even if he must suffer more, for it is suffering that helps him experience life as Jesus did. Why is Paul so passionate to know Jesus even more deeply? Paul can’t get enough of Jesus. He loves him with his heart, mind and soul because there’s one more thing Paul knows. He knows that even in death, Jesus will be there for him. A Moment’s Thought: Jesus really is worth knowing.