How to Live for the Resurrection – Proclamation! Online Magazine

MOSES DRAKE LUSWATA

As we reflect on the joy of celebrating Jesus’ resurrection last week, I am reminded of Paul’s words in Philippians 3;10, 11:

…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

The easy-to-read version says it this way:

All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him from death. I want to share in his sufferings and be like him even in his death.

As believers, what should be our major purpose in celebrating the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ?

This is a question which has troubled me for many years, and I ask myself whether believers understand why and what they celebrate? I want us to explore this question.

The apostle Paul lays down five points in this Scripture for us to think about:

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection.
That I may share His sufferings.
That I may become like him in his death as I share His sufferings.
That I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
That I may know him.

Knowing Jesus Christ

Paul’s first desire in this passage is knowing Jesus Christ. This knowledge is not head knowledge but is the full understanding of the knowledge of God which reveals the mystery hidden in the working of God. This is the knowledge that comes from trusting Jesus and results in unity of the believers and in encouragement:

Because they are united in love, I pray that their hearts may be encouraged by all the riches that come from a complete understanding of the full knowledge of the Messiah, who is the mystery of God (Col 2:2).

The Power Of His Resurrection

Jesus Christ demonstrated the power of resurrection in his death. Paul is saying that by knowing the mystery of God which is Jesus Christ in us, the fear of death will not be among us because Jesus came to deliver us from the slavery of the fear of death (Heb. 2:15). Furthermore, the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians15:58 that when we have this knowledge of the power of His resurrection, we are immovable. “Be steadfast, immovable,” he says, “always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

This immovable, fearless confidence is ours when we know the power of Jesus’ resurrection.

Share His Sufferings

The apostle’s testimony is that he rejoiced in his suffering for the sake of the gospel entrusted to him, and thus he is calling us to join him in the same suffering. “Therefore, never be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, his prisoner. Instead, by God’s power, join me in suffering for the sake of the gospel,” Paul challenges in 2 Timothy 1:8.

His call to us as believers to join him in suffering for the sake of the gospel is not a popular call today. In fact, what the apostle Paul was running toward is what the church today is running from!

Becoming Like Him In His Death.

Our apostle Paul desired to be like Jesus Christ in obedience. To be like Him in his death is more than physical death; it includes entrusting his earthly desires to God and letting go of them in his desire to develop a character of obedience to the will of God. As Paul said of Jesus, “being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8). Jesus surrendered His rightful glory in obedience to the Father so that He could die for our sins.

Attain the Resurrection From the Dead

In Philippians 3:11 Paul uses a unique word in the New Testament: Εξαναστασις (Exanastasis), and he is signifying the glorious resurrection which he knows is God’s promise to him and to all who love Him. The apostle focused all his faith on that glorious resurrection.

Paul did not think of the resurrection as a seasonal holiday when he would jump, shout, eat, and drink in celebration of an anniversary and then put it in the back of his mind for another year. On the contrary, Paul lived every day of his life with the Lord Jesus in anticipation of that glorious resurrection which would be his in Christ.

In knowing Christ, in living free from the fear of death which always lurked near him as he shared in Christ’s sufferings for the sake of the gospel, as he let go of earthly comforts and desires, humbling himself to the point of death in order to bring the gospel to those dead in their sins—Paul always kept his goal in sight. He pressed “on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).

The glorious resurrection which was promised him in Christ’s resurrection was never far from Paul’s thoughts. The sufferings of his apostleship were nothing compared to his eternity with Jesus.

Likewise, as we look back at our joyful celebration of Easter last weekend, we look forward with anticipation. We will suffer and lose what we love for the sake of Jesus and His gospel, but with Paul we always keep the resurrection in our hearts. We walk with Him now into suffering and pain, trusting that He is accomplishing His will through us—and one day we will be part of that glorious resurrection which is His promise to all who believe! †