Resurrection 301: 2020 CrossCulture Community Meditation

The Power of His Resurrection

Philippians 3:7-11

"7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard 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 one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead."

Many readers will be surprised to find out that our Easter Sunday text above is not an account of the actual resurrection of Christ from the gospels. The title "Resurrection 301" gives you a clue that we are not meditating on basics for this day but on more advanced issues, particularly the implications of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us be honest. How many Christians do you see today can claim that they know and experience the power of the resurrection daily or when they face trials or tribulation? If you think this power is about receiving Jesus Christ, that is not entirely correct. Is this about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? The practice of spiritual disciplines? Not close enough. But this power is a big part of what the Lord Jesus Christ died and resurrected for. Christ himself promised this power in Acts 1:8, "...you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..." and Luke 24:49, "I am sending the promise of my Father upon you....you are clothed with power from on high...." Many people think this is just power for witnessing, but read the Mark version of the Great Commission (Mark 16:15-18) where witnessing is accompanied by signs and wonders, gifts of healing, casting out demons, speaking in tongues, etc. Those are evidences of real "power from on high"!

The focal point for this resurrection message is the availability of the power of the resurrection for every child of God, based on Paul's message. If the Scripture declares that such power is available, why do most people, who claim to be Christian, show no evidence that they have such power? So how can a child of the kingdom possess this power? Fortunately, Scripture also has the answers!

1. Paul knew that he cannot know, much less possess, such power unless  he knows Christ in an intimate way (v. 8,9), and the Bible shows that it is impossible to know Christ personally without immersing ourselves in the Word of God. Remember John 1:1, 14? "In the beginning was the Word...and the Word became flesh..." Knowing the Word is knowing Christ!
2. Paul knew that he could never know Christ without giving up everything in order to gain Christ and know him (v.7,8). James himself said, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." James 4:4. We have to give up everything of this world, our plans, ambitions, desires, aspirations, dreams, activities, everything and lay them down as offerings at the feet of Jesus.
3. Paul knew that only true faith pleases God. In the above passage, Paul mentions the righteousness of God that "comes through faith in Christ" and "based on faith" (v.9). Scripture is clear. Hebrews 11:6 states that "without faith, it is impossible to please Him" and in Romans 14:23, "whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." While living by sight is living with certainty based on what you see, faith is living with certainty based on what you may not see at the time you exercise faith but it is just as certain as if you have actually seen it. But don't forget that "Faith comes [ONLY] from hearing, and hearing [ONLY] through the word of Christ" Romans 10:17. You cannot have true faith if you don't know or read your Bible.
4. Paul knew that knowing the power of the resurrection is packaged with suffering and comes with death to self (v.10). Yes, this is what we call the life-exchange. Christ will only grant us his resurrection life and power, if we give up our own life, experiencing death to self and to the world. If there is such a thing as a Scriptural formula, this is at the core of it. No death, no resurrection, no power!

As we remember and celebrate the Day of Resurrection today, let us try not to make it just a mere ceremonial celebration of a past event. Instead, let us press harder into the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ seeking his continuous presence in our lives, getting to know him deeper through his Word and seeking the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire that gave the first century Christians the power that changed their lives and the world. For we have no other purpose in this life if we are truly born again.