The J.o.y. of knowing Jesus 2

Dear friend,

May the grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

What is the greatest exchange that you have ever heard of? How about this one, where someone took away all our bad and gave unto us all their good? That is what occurred when Jesus Christ became sin for us, He who knew no sin, so that we might be made righteous with God. Martin Luther called this action of God's grace the Great Exchange.

As we continue hearing the Apostle Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, share the letter he wrote to the Philippian congregation, we are reviewing of his experience of the Great Exchange. That which he thought was on the plus side, he came to see that it was on the minus side. In this 3rd chapter of Philippians he gives his testimony concerning his spiritual journey which resulted in Jesus Christ finding him As a result,  he One he formerly had persecuted he now began to preach and proclaim Him.  He not only counted the former things for loss, he had counted and continued to count ALL things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ.

Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

What did Paul mean when he says, "to win Christ?" If we understand his former way of thinking that he considered himself having favor with God through his Jewish background, upbringing and service, it would mean that he thought he was winning favor with God by his own actions. It can be confusing to us when we are comparing merit with gift and the same terminology is used for both. Paul certainly was not speaking of his merit gaining Christ's favor, a fact of utmost importance which he clarifies in the next verse by saying "to be found in Him."

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Here he clarifies what he is speaking about as he contrasts being justified by the law (by doing) vs justified by the merit of Christ (by receiving), which is  applied to him/to us by faith.

 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

What is Paul referring to here when he says "that I may know Him and so on? The first scripture verse we heard read today was from John 17:3 which is as follows:

KJV John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

To know Christ is to have eternal life. Not to know of Him, or about Him, but to know Him. What does it mean to know Him? Well, let us consider an earthly example of what it means to know of somebody vs to know somebody. We all know a lot of people, but by far the vast majority of our friends we know only of them but do not really know them. Do we know them from what others say about them or do we know them from sharing of life together with them? What do they think of us, what do they want for us and so on?

Is to know Christ to know, to believe and to trust in that which He out of love has accomplished for us? Paul said in another place concerning knowing...

KJV 2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

As a result of being connected to Christ's merits through faith, Paul now knew Christ, and of how He had been  delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.(Romans 4:25) He understood and received the grace of God in Christ.

By faith he also recognized that in this relationship with Christ he would be drawn closer to Him through suffering in Him and for Him, as he continued to walk by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit's presence in him.  He saw by faith that one day he would be raised up by Christ at the last day.

John 6: 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the(upward) high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul exudes confidence which resulted from him "knowing" Christ through the revelation of the Holy Spirit of the will and purposes of God for him. He may have thought that he was sounding a little uppity with his hearers, so now he softens his approach to them, saying something like this: 'It is not as if I have already arrived, for I have not, as I am still in the maturing process.

Faith has given me all the knowledge of Christ that I have need of, but because the old nature still lives in me, I am subject to looking back, or even inward. I want nothing more than to grasp that which Christ grasped me for, and even though I am still incomplete in this knowledge, I know that I am looking through the windshield instead of into the rear view mirror.

Here is some real application for us all. How much joy and peace are we robbed of when we look back and say things like, "I should have, I could have, Why didn't , How could I have been so blind? and so on? While it is true that Apostle Paul did look back, he did only to remember from which he had been before, but he did not go back in order repunish himself for his past sins. Another had taken the punishment for them, namely Christ. That is the Christ Paul know and the One we must know.

Apostle Peter is another one who could have beat himself up for his past, but in reading his epistles it is difficult to find where he did so. Instead, he magnified the grace of God in his past, present and future life. There is a lesson for us in these two men in how they understood, experienced and proclaimed the grace of God in Christ. How did Peter come to know Christ?

Luke 23:32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.

 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

 34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

 Luke 22:59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, "Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean."

 60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times."

 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

By what he wrote as the last verse of his 2nd letter, we can be fairly certain that he knew Jesus as His Saviour and Lord.

KJV 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

May our gracious Lord bless His Word into our hearts and minds today so that we by faith may say as my dear mother did as she drew near her departure from this life: Eternity will not be long enough to praise my Saviour for saving me.”

All glory and honor to God through Jesus Christ now and always, Amen!

Pastor Orval

J.o.y. of Knowing Jesus

                                                                   J.o.y.  Jesus, others, you.   

Dear friend,

May the amazing grace of God be received unto us a fresh  today, in that we will realize that it is a new day of God’s mercy and grace towards us through His Son Jesus Christ!  May yours and my minds and hearts be like sponges which take in and absorb the love that our God and our Father lavishes on us anew today,  and as a result we experience and rejoice in the knowledge that God loves us very deeply.

Last Sunday we heard about the mutual relationships that existed between Apostle Paul and his two co laborers Timothy and Ephaphroditus who ministered to him in prison and for him to the congregation at Philippi. We heard of how Paul not only ministered to others but of how he needed the ministry of his two beloved brothers, who were available to him, who were sensitive to the needs of the people and who were dependable. Available, Sensitive, Dependable.   May we recognize that those three characteristics are a formula to maintaining, exercising and deepening any relationship between people.

Paul, having J.o.y. in his beloved people as well as J.o.y. in ministering amongst them again reminds them to rejoice in the Lord, and it seems that he repeating himself. Why not, for he is a joyful minister of the Lord who lives in joy and wants all to live in the same joy. May we be reminded of what joy is?

Joy is a reality that is ours through the knowledge and experience that God has reconciled us to Himself through the cross, by His gracious gift we trust in that reality, and even if circumstances change in our lives, our relationship with Him now and forever cannot be shaken.

Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of our lives, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.

Christian joy is confident, it is shared and it is increasing.

Let us listen again of the joy of Apostle Paul…..

1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy

1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

1:26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again

2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

2: 17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

  18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

2:28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

As we move to the next focus of Apostle Paul (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) he again exhorts them to live in joy, calling to them as brothers (and sisters) to rejoice in the Lord, and  goes onto tell them that they should be careful of the joy robbers who are in their midst. A joy robber would be anyone who tries to add something to the teaching that salvation is by grace through faith, and man contributes nothing. Let us listen to what he says.

KJV Philippians 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

He tells them that he is repeating what he has already told them, for the reason that it is all important to keep emphasizing and placing before his hearers of the basic essential parts of the Christian faith. He speaks to the subject of circumcision, which in the Old Testament was a mark that all the male members of the Hebrew people were to be marked with on their 8th day of life. 

The New Testament clarifies and contrasts the shadows and temporary ministrations of the Old Testament, for in the Old Testament people came to the physical temple to come into God’s Presence.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Paul continues on to warn his people about the robbers of joy.

Philippians 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Paul then goes on to describe what it means to have confidence in the flesh, by pointing to his former life of  devoted and impeccable service to God and he does this by saying it like this: “Let me tell you how it worked for me in my former days when my eyes were blind to what God had done for me through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Let me tell you how I found my identity in God’s chosen people, not in Jesus Christ. (An Israelite), I was of the tribe of Benjamin, and I was a Hebrew of Hebrews.

As a result of being brought up in this environment, I became a Pharisee in step with the law, I became a persecutor of the followers of Jesus Christ who had been killed and was never heard from again, and I was blameless in the keeping of all the God required us to keep in order to maintain our standing before Him.

But I was mistaken, for what I thought was right and acceptable before God in order to please Him, I found it to be of no value. This all happened because Jesus Christ met me, for He pursued me and stopped me in my tracks, and my whole life changed from being a persecutor to being persecuted. Let me give you a little background of some events that I witnessed while I was still walking in darkness, but yet confident that I was doing the Lord’s work.

There was one of the followers named Stephen of this  dead Jesus who was answering questions for the leaders of the synagogue and after he had challenged them in their belief system, they did not like what he had to say to them concerning the resurrected Jesus, Acts 7:54-8:1a  (I changed it up a bit to make it appear that Saul/Paul was speaking in the first person)

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

 55 But Stephen, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

 56 And I heard this Stephan say, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God”.

 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at my feet.

 59 And they stoned Stephen, who I heard call unto God  and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

KJV Acts 8:1 And I was in agreement what was done to kill this follower of Jesus.  .

KJV Acts 9:1 And I continued on, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, and I went unto the high priest,

 2 And I asked of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, I might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

 3 And as I journeyed, I came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

 4 And I fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

 5 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the goads, it is hard for you to resist my calling upon your life.

 6 And I trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Everything changed from that day on, before I was blind, but now I began to see. I now knew that my identity was in Jesus Christ, and that the forgiveness that He poured out into me and upon me was by grace, it was a gift. As a result of this great change, the freedom and joy that I now experience, I began to preach the resurrected Jesus Christ instead of seeking to imprison or even to join in the killing of His followers.  I was able to see that persecuting of his followers was persecuting Jesus Himself……..

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

As I close this writing, there is a lot to think about in relation to our own testimony. Through the years it has been interesting to hear of how people were brought from darkness to light. What is your experience of coming from darkness to light? Some have come gradually and cannot remember a specific occurrence like the Apostle Paul went through, while others remember very well of how they lived in what they thought was the light, but when the True Light came to them, they realized that they were in darkness and then came to the True Light in their brokenness.

In two weeks we are going to move to verses 10-11( I will not be preaching here next Sunday) which consist of few words, but have immense meaning to one who has come to see that salvation is a gift by grace through faith. For Paul states of three desires that rose up in him as a result of his encounter with Jesus, when he heard the Voice speak into his very own heard and mind.

Out of his transformation came the desire “to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings, and to be like Him in His death.”  There will be much to hear from the Spirit concerning those three desires of one who has been changed living in external trappings of religion to the internal experience of becoming a worshipper of God in spirit and in truth.

May the Lord bless our meditations in His Word through the workings of the Holy Spirit who continually speaks to us and show us Christ in His death and resurrection.

In Christ,

Pastor Orval Wirkkala

J.o.y. of caring and of being cared for.

The Apostle Paul did not allow his circumstances (of being in prison for preaching the gospel) to hinder His calling as a minister of the Gospel, but rather as we heard earlier his being in prison actually furthered the effect of the Gospel. While in prison, he utilized a couple of coworkers that not only ministered to others, but who ministered to Paul himself.  Paul had learned to not only minister to others, but he also received ministry from others, as in from Epaphroditus. (Philippians 2:25)

Paul was not a one way servant in that he spent his time serving others, but he himself knew that he needed encouragement and help himself. We about this in his letter to the Roman church.

Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

 10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.

 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

 12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

He cared deeply for those in the congregation that he had helped plant and now he wished to know how they were doing in their Christian faith. So he sent unto them Timothy and then Epaphroditus. He knew and trusted the character of Timothy, who available to go.

Philippians 2:19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.

 20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

 22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

 23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.

 24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.

He then sent Epaphroditus, who was also available and who had ministered to Paul himself.  Epaphroditus was not only available, but he was also sensitive to the wants of Paul. Paul knew of his brother’s sensitive heart for he had experienced the kindness of Christ through him, not only for himself, but for those in the Philippian congregation. 

 25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

 26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

 27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

 28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

Ephaphroditus was not only available, he was sensitive to the needs of the Philippians, but he was also reliable. Paul could count on him to do as he was sent to do, for Epaphroditus did not count his life dear to him, but understood and ministered putting himself last. He lived by J.o.y.

 30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

We are now at the halfway point in our studies through the letter to the Philippian church, or we might say we are halfway through the letter of the Lord to our beloved Kingston congregation. May we pause in order to reflect on what the application might be for us from the Word of the Lord? It would be good to do so and let us start by looking at the big picture.

The title that is given to the message today is “Caring and being cared for.”  That was chosen to reflect the reality that within every congregation there are basically two categories of people: Those who are able to care for others and there are those who need caring for. We already saw how the Apostle Paul kept this in balance, recognizing that as he ministered to others, that he needed their reciprocal ministry towards him.

In our readings today, (2 Samuel 9) and (Luke 10:25-37) we witnessed the kindness of God demonstrated by David and Kindness Himself having compassion on the man who appeared to be dead on the road to Jericho. When we have received the kindness of God through Christ in that we have by grace through faith become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1;3-4), we are a new creation created unto good works in Christ Jesus. We have been rescued along the road by the Kindness of God and have been given all that is needed to be scatterers of the Kindness of God. David, even though living in the Old Testament times, was indwelt by the kindness of God so that he asked the question in 2 Samuel 9

KJV 2 Samuel 9:1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.

After Jesus asked the lawyer  which one of the three was a neighbor to the man lying on the side of the road, he answered, “He that showed mercy unto him,” he was basically saying that the one that showed kindness to him.’

Jesus responded: Do, and do likewise. Go and demonstrate the mercy of God towards your family, towards your brothers and sisters in the church, and towards the world.

Have we experienced the Kindness of the Lord? If so, how are we living out that which we have received from the Lord? Who might we be kind to today?

Are we available to serve? Are we sensitive to the needs of people? Are we reliable?

Lord, please guard our relationships from the evil one, strengthen them in faith and trust in You and deepen our understanding and experience of Your love for us. In Jesus Name, Amen

Pastor Orval Wirkkala