I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (Philippians 3:8-12)

It seems so simple, to say that all you need is Jesus and that he’s at the centre of everything. In fact, it often feels too simple to say, and a bit silly to say out loud. Can Jesus really be the answer to every question? Isn’t that the Sunday School answer, and aren’t we supposed to put childish answers behind us and get to the deep adult things already?

But I must tell you: attending church meetings at classis, the denomination, or even nationally and internationally with a mix of denominations and Christian leaders: this is often exactly what I come back to as the solution for most questions of content or procedure. Participating in an in depth theological dialogue in TrueCity around human sexuality this past year, this again is exactly what I came back to. In fact, thinking about how I conduct myself, love God, and love others in any setting from the denominational politicking to the grocery store: this is what I come back to.

Yes, it really is all about Jesus.

Sometimes I come away with that notion because I’ve been deeply touched by an expression of our shared faith or have seen something of God’s work in a particular setting. But, sometimes, and admittedly this is more often the case, I come away with it because of something that went off the rails. Sometimes that something was my own poor conduct.

And so I come back again to Jesus. Sometimes for forgiveness. Sometimes in lament. Always for assurance. Are you still the Lord of the Church today? Yes? Whew. Good, cause I blew it.

Some of us hear these words from Paul about pressing on to take hold of the faith and think it’s really a work that we need to run flat out to accomplish. But, I think the emphasis is actually more on that first part of these verses—the part where Paul says he considers everything else a loss—garbage—compared to simply knowing Jesus.

Because it is Christ who first took hold of us, it’s Christ’s suffering that we participate in, and it is Christ’s resurrection power that somehow, mysteriously attains resurrection for us. Next to that, everything and anything else really can be lost. If we have Jesus and him alone, well, that’s enough.