After Easter: Now What? - by Ps Michael Podhaczky

Easter is over and the hot cross buns and Easter eggs are gone until next year. For many a Christ-follower that is about the size of it; think about the cross and resurrection next year. But Paul would have something to say about that mind-set. In Philippians 3:7-11 he laid out his life goal. Sitting under house arrest he wrote the letter. He encouraged the church to rejoice and stand firm in unity, in the midst of sufferings (like Christ - 2:5-11). They are to press towards the goal of knowing Jesus Christ their Lord.

In Philippians 3:4-6, Paul gave a brief account of past achievements, valuable assets to his contemporaries. He used the language of business (gain/loss), putting things into perspective. Hold these thoughts as we look at Philippians 3:7-11.

⁷ “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ 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 ⁹ 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 ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

Paul had a change of attitude toward things he once valued, now counting them as liabilities. His radical revaluation was for “the sake of Christ”. The personal knowledge of Christ Jesus was and is of surpassing worth. Paul fully expressed his life goal when he said “he wants to be found in Him,” i.e. completely united with Jesus.

He did not want mere head knowledge but a personal relationship. This was energised by the power of Christ’s resurrection that raised Christ from the dead. This power of the resurrection is also at work in us. Paul said that to know Christ is to “share in His suffering,” becoming like Him in His death. Philippians 2:5-11 is the contextual backdrop of sharing in His suffering. Paul desired to press on toward that goal of the competed work of the power of the resurrection of his life. This was God’s work; as Paul could not raise himself. Only those who have died in Christ are resurrected in Christ.

Circumstances and people can rob us of joy, but so can things; these are the kinds of topics that Paul dealt with in the passages. We need to freely reject all claims to self-assurance. All that may be of personal profit needs to be rejected to gain Jesus. So, our motive for counting all things as the loss is Christ. Seek to identify with Christ in His resurrection, and His suffering. Through the sufferings that will come, the resurrection power of Jesus is manifested in our lives as Christ-followers. Therefore, Paul encourages us towards perseverance, unity and joy in our challenges, that we may know Christ in His fullness. We are encouraged to know Him passionately; joyfully sharing in His resurrected power and suffering that may come. In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul stressed that he had not yet arrived at the fullness of knowing Christ, but pressed on towards that goal. Be encouraged post-Easter to press on toward that goal; let it become your life goal.