Rejoice in the Lord - Pt. 3
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Antiques roadshow, sometimes people are surprised by the value of an object.
Watch from Cambodia - thought to be fake, was actually real.
Period after WWI
German Inflation
One dollar = one trillion German Marcs
Comic sketch of wheelbarrow of money needed to buy one loaf of bread was true.
What you thought had value, had no value.
Knowing Jesus is worth more than everything we are and everything we have. He is worth rejoicing in!
Knowing Jesus is worth more than everything we are and everything we have. He is worth rejoicing in!
1. Consider what you Stand to Lose - vs. 4-6
1. Consider what you Stand to Lose - vs. 4-6
Paul’s List
Circumcised the 8th day
exact keeping of the covenant of Abraham in Genesis 17:12
Also, tells of natural Jewish birth, not later conversion from gentile
Of the people of Iseal
traceable Jewish lineage back to the beginning
Of the tribe of Benjamin
Benjamin, the only son born in the promised land
Only tribe that remained faithful after the death of King Solomon
One of only two tribes to return to Israel from exile
King Saul was a Benjamite - Saul/Paul
Hebrew of the Hebrews
Thoroughly Hebrew in culture, language.
Many dispersed Jews had lost the Hebrew language, Paul could pray and read the Scriptures in Hebrew
Educated under the Rabbi Gamaliel
As to the Law, a Pharisee
Pharisees go back to the time of return from exile, became a thriving movement during the period between the OT and Christ
Essentially an elite denomination - around 6,000 at this time - hyper separated, elevated above the common Jew
The strictest sect of the religion
As to zeal, a Persecutor of the Church
Any doubt about Paul’s commitment to formal Judaism? Just see him overseeing the stoning of stephen and pursuing Christians even to death.
Blameless
Not claiming perfection, but conformity to the law including its rituals of forgiveness and sacrifice.
No shortcuts, to the letter.
A Jewish man that other Jewish men probably envied, and everyone’s testimony would have been - “if anyone is accepted by God, Paul is!”
How do we relate?
Consider whatever you are seeking to do and be in life, and imagine that you are at the top of the game - that is where Paul was.
Not claiming perfection, but a place of recognition.
Natural Privileges
Birth/Family
Class/Status
Nation/citizenship
Earned Privileges
Achievements
Accumulated Wealth
Personal Renown
Everything in Paul’s list? Loss!
Loss, 3 times- disadvantage, hardship.
two senses
counting them as loss
suffering loss
Holding tension between the sentimental, personal value of a thing - emotionally deep roots and Moving to the admission that it wasn’t what you thought.
Suffering loss
standing
privilege
testimony
Counting as loss
repentance
a change of mind and heart that leads to a change of action
a turning from and toward
2. Consider what you Stand to Gain - vs. 7-11
2. Consider what you Stand to Gain - vs. 7-11
What was Paul’s gain?
the sake of Christ
the worth of knowing Christ
in order to gain Christ
Christ as the
benefactor
the aim and focus
the prize
What is the difference?
A righteousness of my own
comes from the law
But, by the works of the law no human being will be justified in God’s sight.
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
It is the difference between life and death, heaven and hell, forgiveness versus guilt.
It is the difference between having a relationship with God and not.
For Paul, repentance meant turning from his works-based attempt to be justified before God, from his zeal for righteousness which actually turned to a rampage for evil, turning to Christ - realizing his comparative depravity, guilt, and shame apart from the Savior.
For you?
Christianity as religion - where the “what” is everything and the “who” is just a name. Christ as the goal, the benefactor, and the prize.
No system of belief or religion - ultimately points back to self, just as false religions.
self as the judge
self as the rule
self as the standard
“A righteousness of my own...”
From no attempt at righteousness
purely based on desires
do what you do, want what you want
Is repentance and following Christ worth it?
Yes
Temporary loss
No promise of earthly perfection
an uprooting of self-centered focus
Resurrection at the end.
For Believers, a reminder
following Christ has a trajectory much like Christ’s
No immunity from earthly trouble and rejection
Serventhood is the ideal
Suffering does not equal error
The end is glory, resurrection, everlasting life.
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
It’s an accounting problem
What were assets turn to liabilities
What was a liability turns to the asset
A reassessment of value and worth.
Illustration - natural disaster makes you reconsider what is valuable.
So too the weight of eternity makes you reconsider what is valuable.
All these personal gains and benefits seem wonderful, but then the message of the Gospel comes in and tells us that they are ultimately going to add up to zero by themselves. Suddenly the picture changes, like it did for Paul.
The value of Jesus
As Savior, Redeemer, Friend
As wonderful, kind, loving, merciful, good.
As closer than a brother, listening to our prayers, walking beside us, leading us home.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
In joy - what do you stand to lose?
When do we need this reminder the most?
when things are good - their value stands out
when things are bad - their loss seems unimaginable
When things are normal - we are on autopilot
Why is it hard to live like this is true?
Like Paul, we are easily deceived by success, but self.
How would your life be different next week if you live like this is true?
is it coming to Christ for the first time?
Is it refocusing on his value?
What would that change?
Your attitude?
Harsh when values are being affected
your schedule?
What it certainly will affect - your joy.
Rejoice in the Lord.