I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, …

Philippians 3: 10

As a local pastor, I know hundreds of people. I have met them through organizations I have worked for, through churches I have served or visited, and through community events I have attended. I would bet that similarly; you have met hundreds of people in your life. Yet how well do we know the people we have encountered? Often, we may know certain details and facts about the people around us, but can we claim to really know them?

In Philippians 3: vs 10, Paul expresses the desire to “know Christ …and the power of his resurrection.” Paul already knew Christ, but here he reminds us that “to know Christ” is more than the mere accumulation of facts; it more than legalistic adherence to the laws and liturgies set out for us by our respective denominations. Essentially, it goes beyond going to church, giving money to the poor, going on missions, or any other good deeds we may want to pin on our self-congratulatory spiritual belts.

Paul reminds us that “to know Christ” is a “process of becoming”. It is to embrace humility, suffering, discipline, service, and hard work. To know Christ is to accept that the resurrected Jesus is Lord of our lives, and to faithfully abide in him. It is to continually grow in the knowledge and grace of him through service. It is to accept his sufferings and be willing to participate in them and it is to recognize his voice and accept his gift of eternal life. To know Christ is to become more like him, day by day, and in every way.

This week may the Lord Almighty help us to get past knowing about him, to truly knowing him in the fullness of his divine power which the Bible assures us already resides in those who fear him. As we show up in our workspaces and in life, may our lives answer the crucial question: “What would Jesus do?” The way we answer this question at every turn, is our path to knowing him.