Rejoice in the Lord, Pt. 3 - Philippians 3:5-11

We're in part 3, this morning, three out of three of this first section of Philippians chapter. Number 3, which began again with that encouragement with this command for us as children of God as Brothers and Sisters in Christ to rejoice in the Lord rejoice in the Lord. And it's we've come now to the, what will be our final section or final portion of the section, we are going to look at rejoicing in the Lord, because knowing Jesus is worth more than everything we are. And everything that we have and that is really Paul's testimony. And what he does In this passage is to give his testimony, is testimony of of who he was about, how she, if anybody else could have bragged about it and boasted about it. But rather than doing that. You gave up everything for what he calls, the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. And really, this final section in in learning to rejoice in the Lord comes down to just that it comes down to knowing the surpassing word of Christ, not just knowing the worth of him but of knowing him.

Much in our life is based on the value of certain things. If you own a property, they assess that every once in a while to see if its value has gone up. So they can text you a little bit more right to sell or trade in your old car and it never quite seems to be worth quite as much as you thought it should and those values while they can give us either a good day, or a bad day special, when it comes to the car shopping and paying taxes, I had three things that came to mind. If I was thinking about this and I couldn't pick just one seven, I'm going to give all these to you as an illustration to begin first. How many of you like or have ever watched and enjoyed watching the Antiques Roadshow on television? Okay, I don't watch it religiously but if if I happens to be on it's it's pretty enjoyable and it's enjoyable because A lot of times people are shocked by the value of the object that they bring in. That was either, they're, they're great. Great, great grandfather's. Are they bought it in the yard sale? And somebody told him to bring it in, and a lot of times, they're surprised in a good way. Right? Because, what they paid $6 for, in the bottom of a trunk is worth $5,000 and the look on their face. Just tell the whole story, they couldn't even believe it, but almost all all the other times, they are surprised in the opposite direction, right? They bought what they thought was a very valuable antique and it turns out it was either fake or had been repaired or there were a million of them and you could buy them for a fraction of what they paid for it. And they are surprised by its value. It's a personal story of mine has to do with my brother Dan. He he will laugh. If I tell the story about I'll let see this must have been 14 15 years ago. Now. I was I was still a teenager and my brother Dan went on a trip, to, to the Philippines and Cambodia and while over there, and one of the Cities there is ample opportunity to purchase inexpensive goods and usually what they are, our copies of of high-quality items, one of the big ones, of course, clothing, that kind of thing. But one of the big ones were swatches. And so my brother Dan bought me this, this inexpensive watch, and it was it was a really nice copy. What he thought of a really expensive watch in the, gave it back and gave it to me as a gift. I'm 14. 15 years old and I started to wear the watch. I knew it only cost them like the equivalent of five bucks. So I wore the thing everyday, got it, all scratched up one day. Stopped working and I took it into a jewelry store. I just happen to be going by cuz I don't know how to change the battery and I handed it to him. I said, could you put a battery in this? And he said yeah of course said he he looked at it for a minute, took it apart? You walked into the back with it, he came back out and he said You don't take very good care of this to you. And I said, well no, it's just, it's not worth very much, my brother paid $5 for it and he said it and I told him and he said those things are real and their stolen, right. You said that's what this one is. It's the real deal. And turns out this watch was something that sold for like, $1,200 in the US market. And I had no idea. Anything was totally trashed. It was all scratched, and tarnished, I did not know the value. I did not know the value. Another thing that came to mind this one from history. You see all the time, the the combo comic strips of drawings, cartoon drawings of somebody wheelbarrowing a, a pile of cash in order to purchase a very small item like a loaf of bread. Well, most of us realize that that is not simply a cartoon but it's an accurate picture of of, of German inflation in the post-world War II era at that time, by 1923 $1, us was worth 1 trillion, German marks. So that sketch of somebody wheelbarrowing a pile of money to buy a loaf of bread, was something that in fact, happened and value. In that case, affected people's wives tremendously tremendously Well, here in Philippians chapter 3, the value that is being considered is really of two things. One we are considering the value of of what we have, who we are. What we have to bring and comparing that to the value of Christ. And before we go any further, we need to actually read the text. Just as a reminder last week, Paul was, was giving this these Philippians and us as well as a warning to look out for those, who would try to lead us astray to put our confidence in something other than Christ specifically. It was these false teachers who who held up this idea that that even the Gentiles needed to keep Particular sections of the law in order to be accepted by God.

and as we continue that fought, Paul says that we though, Are not known by our physical attributes or, or are, or are merely out word Conformity. But we are truly known by worshiping in the spirit of God and glory in Jesus Christ, and putting no confidence in the flash. That's where we left off first for really continues that sentence and let's read their beginning. In first for Philippians 3, Though, Paul says, I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh. Also, if anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flash, I have more circumcised on the 8th day of the people of Israel of The Tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews as to the law, a Pharisee as a persecutor of the church as to righteousness under the law blameless. But whatever I had is gained I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything is lost because of the surpassing word of knowing Christ Jesus. My Lord for his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and counted them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the wall, but that which comes through faith, in Christ, the righteousness from God, that depends on faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him and his death that my any means possible. I may attain The resurrection from the dead.

Knowing Jesus is worth more than everything we are. And everything we have he is worth rejoicing in. Let's pray and ask the Lord to help us see this together.

Word. We, we often need are our values fixed. We need, we need, are we need the calibration of, of how we fix values on things to be changed. We need it realigned. And I believe this passage can do just that it will and can and will do just that for those of us who have known as followed and love you, Lord, Jesus for many years we need our hearts realign recalibrated. We need our clock set.

It'll also and can buy the power of the spirit do this for somebody who's really never known you. Oh, Lord, break through both, in in a new, or than old, but but, but dim heartbreak through with the surpassing value of knowing Christ. and they we see it may we hold hold you as the object Supreme worth. This, we pray in your name or Jesus? Amen. I want to see this today in just two ways one, we're going to consider what what we stand to lose. And then secondly will consider what we stand to gain. And that is really just how the Apostle Paul puts it. As he, as he says, to those Philippians that followers of the Lord, children of God, whether Jew or Gentile, whether the slave or free, as he says, and another place, no matter where you came from, no matter who you are a follower of Jesus, worships him by the spirit glories in him and puts no confidence in The Flash. And that is what they were being tempted by bad teaching to do to go away from their Focus On Christ and put confidence back in something else into that. Paul says I, if anybody have reason to have confidence in the Flash, Now, understand the this dialog for a minute because Paul is is a a Jewish man converted to Christ now. Wholeheartedly following him and preaching his word as an apostle. And he is, he is warning against fellow Jewish men were trying to to lure people back away from Christ and back to the works of the law. So Paul is talking as one who has experience and he says in essence, beware of those who are trying to get you to put your confidence and something else and I know you need to be aware because of anybody. In the world, had a reason to be confident in their flash. It is mixed

but it's given here as a means of testimony and comparison. Let's look at what Paul says and then, let's try to apply it by God's spirit and our wives. Paul really gives a he gives it a list of accolades. You gives me a big list of highlights and his life starting right from the beginning. He says, in verse five, I was circumcised on the eighth day. This goes right back to the abrahamic Covenant, where Isaac, Abraham's son was that first little Hebrew boy, to be circumcised on the eighth day. That was the Covenant. That was the law. I was the ideal. It was the tradition that that most Jewish families followed right up. Even including Jesus himself. When he was born, we read that he was taken, is circumcised and taken to the temple on that 8 day. This is Paul saying I am a Jewish man from the start. In my parents were faithful from my beginnings. He says, then circumcised on the 8th day of the people of Israel by this fall is saying I can trace my lineage, all the way back. There is no, I'm no newcomer to this religion. My family is no newcomer to this face. He goes on further and says, of the people of Israel of The Tribe of Benjamin, because I can trace my lineage right back to the very place where it started and tell you, which one of the sons of Jacob. Was my great. Great, great. Great gone for awhile grandfather. Benjamin Benjamin, by the way, that tribe was where King Saul came from and what is Paul's name and Hebrew? Well, it's Saul. He truly was a benjamite, The Tribe of Benjamin was one of the only two tribes that actually returned back to. The nation that the land of Israel after their exile.

It was one of the only tribes to remain faithful after the death of King Solomon. And other words Paul saying that only can I trace my lineage back to which tribe I'm from. But it's a good one too. Of The Tribe of Benjamin. He goes on a Hebrew of the Hebrews. Thoroughly thoroughly Hebrew in culture but also this refers to his language. See many of these the Jews in Paul's day, who had been dispersed, had lost a lot of their Hebrew language. Paul, though is, we read in the book of Acts could pray and read the scriptures in Hebrew. He had been educated under, the rabbi Gamaliel, who was one of the most world renowned in that day, through the Hebrews. as to the law, he says, in the end of verse 5, Pharisee Pharisee. What is a Pharisee in our study of Matthew? Now, couple years ago, we saw. Of course, the Pharisees on numerous occasions and we saw that they were a very strict, very observant sack of the Jewish religion. In fact, they were the strictest sect of that religion. The most faithful. They were an elite. If you want to call him the nomination for a word that we might use at this time time of Jesus. And and later, Paul the records show, they were really only about six thousand of them, which out of all the Jewish people with a very small number. They were hyper separated elevated, above the common Jew and they're following in their keeping of the law. And Paul was that he was that For 6, as to Zeal in other words, fall could say all of this was true of me. I was born good, I was raised good, my family was good. I'm in the good crowd. But did I really care about that will? He says, as to Zeal, I persecuted the church If there was any doubt about Paul's commitment to formal, the formal religion of Judaism at that time, just see him in that scene, where we find him first in the book of Acts where he is standing over the close of a young man named Steven presiding over his execution. And see him in another passage, not long after riding, on a horse toward Damascus, to pursue Christians, even to their death. As Paseo Paul said I was out-and-out. I was all in.

As to righteousness under the law. Versus number 6. Blameless blameless.

This is not Paul claiming sinless Perfection. We shouldn't we shouldn't put him that far. And it's thinking, you didn't think he was perfect, but he did claim that we're the law prescribed either. Righteousness, or, or avoiding evil, he either did that, or we follow the law where it prescribed, a sacrifice for forgiveness. So that he left no stone unturned in this relationship to God through the law and anybody that knew him would have looked at him and said,

if anybody is going to be accepted by God, Paul is if anybody's going to make it Parlance. A Jewish man that other Jewish men probably Envy.

Now, how do we relate? How do we relate?

Will consider that think this way for a minute. Not describing good or evil to it for a moment. But just think of whatever you are seeking to do in life being a career, be it be a loving and serving your family be at a particular goal like exercise or or some kind of hobby that you have whatever you are seeking to do in life. Imagine that you are at the top of your game. And actually, imagine that you are not just at the top of your game, but that you are at the top of of the game overall.

That is where Paul was.

That is where Paul was.

Get everything going for him from his pedigree and birth right up to his accolades. What he had learned.

Again, not claiming Perfection but imagine being in that place of recognition where somebody would say that's that's about as high as you can get. That's about as close as you can get.

I think of that, it may be back down a notch, but think about the places where Paul's testimony and our lives might converge because we have Privileges, and accolades and all kinds of parts of our life. Like Paul, you may have accolades in your birth or your family. You may have been born into a family that that is just wonderful and has long known for being upstanding and hop, right? You may have been born into a family with some status or class.

You were here. I believe everybody by now was born into citizenship in the United States of America. Which is a privilege. Is relative to many other places in this world.

They're also earned privileges. Some of you have earned. Extensive. Educational degrees. Some of you have achieved Heights in your careers. Some of you have achieved goals that other people could not even dream up or might not even dream of some people. I don't know about anybody here. You can let me know later. Some people have accumulated wealth. I haven't. The many have. I'm of accumulated personal renowned so that the mention of your name in a particular setting elicits. Good thoughts by people.

These are essentially the parallels of what Paul just listed for us. Is bird his class is citizenship, his achievements is earning as his personal renowned. We're all at the top. They were as, as valuable As It Gets.

If anybody could boast, if anybody could have confidence in the flesh.

It was Paul.

Why then do we read? After his testimony, how did he consider what he stood to lose?

47. But whatever, gain I had. Counted as loss.

again, in verse 8, indeed, I count everything as loss

Middle of receipt for the sake of Christ. I have suffered the loss of all things. And then one other word he throws in there. And I count them as rubbish.

Los. And what a tragic thing in and of itself, isn't it in and of itself, what this testimony is to be at the top of your game, the top of your religion, the top of your culture, the top of your goals and aspirations and then for something to come into your life. And now all of a sudden, all of had is, is lost tragic. Think of it for a minute. Look at Paul Paul, you're in prison. You're in prison, Paul, and you've got people that want you dead. Call everybody who used to love you is laughing at you.

Call. You don't even have a, a home. You need people to bring you clothes. What happened to you?

It's tragic by itself. Project.

Much like holding something in your hand that you are assured of its worth and value. And you stake a large portion of your future and security on that thing. And then all of a sudden, The world changes. And now it's a paperweight.

It's tragic by itself.

And holding it there in that place for a second us as tragic were to move beyond that to really good news. The hold it there for a second as tragic, and consider for you, or anybody else in this world that anything you have and are theoretically could go from incredibly valuable incredibly well spoken of and end of high renown.

Something can change. And it can be Los Los.

I think of this all uses the word loss in two different ways.

In verse 7, he says, whatever I had that was gain. I counted as loss. I keep that in your head cuz that has to do with his perspective changing it has to do with his accounting, it has to do with his value M being realigned. Whatever gain, I had I counted as loss. He says that again, ever say I count everything is lost but an inverse middle of her. Say he says for Christ sake, I have suffered the loss. Of all things.

Know that for Paul. It was not Justin is accounting. But this accounting difference made a real tangible difference in his life as well. Because not only now, does he not see all those accolades as the thing the holdup? But now in fact, they've turned against him and he's suffered because of them. He's counted them as loss and has suffered loss.

This is a place where the rubber meets the road, when we look at what our confidence is in because many things while having good inherent value, good sentimental value, good personal value with emotionally Deep Roots When we realize, or have to come to grips with the fact that they are not everything that can be tragic sense of loss is putting that forward here that this change in his life was not easy. This change in his wife was not without turbulence.

this counting of loss of these former things he thought were gained though was part of what we would call in the scripture calls, repentance repentance

Repentance, love the word is not in the text explicitly. The idea is through and through repentance, which we find in scripture is is a change of heart and mind which leads to change an action. For Paul, part of his repentance was his accounting and not just his finances. No, but everything, everything in fact has 80 says, I have everything all those things as loss. Now, repentance is a change of turning, it's from something, but it has to be to something as well. And this is where the tragic becomes a one. Because what is Paul's turning to?

Why is he in prison and okay with it?

He counted it all loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. Even Christ.

It would this week consider what we stand to gain?

Oh, look at it. What was Paul's gain? Why could he be now? Mocked and scorned and laughed at and imprisoned and poor impoverished and be okay with it? Oh, because well, he says it three times, verse 7, whatever gain. I had I counted as a loss for the sake of Christ. Another way, in verse 8, I counted as lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ and thirdly, he says, I do this and I count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. Oh, why is it okay that this tragedy of lost happens to Paul and it's back, in fact he's he's happy about it. It's okay. Because in this the, the benefactor of this Fame and the focus of this and the prize of all of this, Is Jesus Christ.

No backup for a minute. You say, why are you getting so excited about this?

Well what's the difference here? What's the difference? Why why does Paul need to give us this testimony and tell us that that all these things he did and was and had are now worthless and he's happy about it. Why? Why can't we just say, leave me alone. You be happy with what you're happy with. I'll be happy with what I'm happy with. Will be fine. What's the difference? Well, the difference is found in verse number 9 because this goal that all things for the sake of Christ, the value of knowing Christ and and loss in order to gain Christ. It results in being found in him. There's a word phrase who seen several times and Philippians our position in Christ, being found in him. And here's the comparison not having a righteousness of my own That comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ. The righteousness from God, that depends on faith. No keeps going, but we'll stop there. That's the difference of righteousness of my own versus sis versus of righteousness that comes from God.

These dangerous teachers that were coming into the churches and still are in many ways can only offer. A righteousness of your own.

A righteousness of your own. Synonymous, they are gun and Bruce number three with confidence in the Flash.

but, The scripture tells us that this kind of righteousness. has no value in justifying us and making us actually right before, God,

Humor me for a minute. Let's go to Romans turn. If you will, if you have a Bible turned a Romans chapter 3 because this is the same theme explained more detail by the same author in the same human authors. Well, the Apostle Paul Romans free, anybody know? Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Yes, one of the most fundamental versus that. We would, we have an understanding our nature and our need of the Gospel. Well, Romans 3:23 comes in this whole chapter of Paul explaining, just what he's talking about here. Go to the beginning of the chapter, he starts by asking this question, is there any advantage you have to understand a lot of a lot of Jewish people who would read and hear Paul? Preach would say that it's like you're throwing away everything everything about what God has done with his people throughout the centuries. It's it's like you're throwing it in the garbage and just leaving it all behind while I'm Paul is really answering that question here. He says what advantage has the do or what is the value of circumcision? There's too much in every way and then he says this to begin with the Jews were entrusted with the Oracles of God. And other words, Paul says, I don't take it lightly that. I am born into a line of people that goes back to God talking to us and giving us his word. Pasta. I don't take that lightly at all.

But he goes on to explain that while he doesn't take it lightly, just being born into that family, doesn't add up to righteousness. You can read verse 3, through 8 conversation, continues bullets for sake of time. Go to verse number nine, he asked a follow-up question. One step deeper. He says, are we Jews any better off? The first she asked what advantage? And there are Jewish people especially in a faithful Home Group up with the scriptures that They grew up sharing the story much like today, is their advantage. Yes. But are we actually better off all says, no, not at all. For we have already charged that all both Jews and Greeks are under sin. And as it is written, none is righteous. No not one. all poles that right out of the prophet, Isaiah,

And gives a message for all people. Pretty self is an upstanding Jewish, man. Or his new self as a now, despise but redeemed and Christ following Jewish, man. For me as a pastor for me as a little boy for you as as a retiree for you, as a young man or young woman just starting out in life. He gives this message

Doesn't matter if you're a Jew, doesn't matter if you're a gentile, doesn't matter. If you were raised in church, it doesn't matter. If you've never been in church, we all start the same. None is righteous. No, not one.

Go ahead a little bit further like a number. 19 room.

Now we know that whatever the law says, let's get back to where we were in Philippians because Paul says that by The Works of the law, no being will be a human being will be justified in God's sight. We know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, why? So that every mouth may be stopped in the whole world may be held accountable to God.

That what a frightening thing?

In what a what a thing do you see now when Paul understood this? Why he said then all of those things he was he was basing his walk with God on they actually were lost because what he thought was was recommending him to God was actually just proving but he could never add up.

The law speaks so that every mouth may be stopped. And so that the whole world may be held accountable to God.

If you want to get into a system of comparison and that's how you find your value in life.

I would urge you don't play that game. We can all find somebody comparative Lee that we are better than just being honest. But that's not. Tape measure.

Whole world because God has spoken is accountable to God. And by the works of the law, 20, no human being will be justified in his sight. And through the law, comes the knowledge of sin. Another words what the law does for us tells us who God is holds up, his perfect standard and then says, hey look in the mirror now, it's not so good with the picture, is not as good as you thought. This is kind of like coming up to verse 7 in Philippians 3 right now, it's kind of bad news. Let's go on first 21. But now the righteousness of God parallel with Philippians 3, righteousness, from God, the righteousness of God has been manifested. It's been spread out given offered apart from the law. Although the law and the prophets bear witness to it. So picture this the law holds up righteousness, it sets goddess a part in his Holiness in a way that we can see it and it says, no. All this other people around you, they aren't the tape. Measure of this is But the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from it. And other words, the law is not a ladder up. Was just the arrow. The only problem with an arrow is it doesn't take you anywhere.

But the righteousness, verse 22, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, for all who believe. There is no distinction. And here's where we get to that famous verse for all, have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. All in the immediate context. Paul says, both Jew and Gentile in our context, both born into the church in the nursery on week 2 or stumbled into the church. At the end of your rope.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

And are justified by his grace. As a gift. True. The Redemption that is in Christ, Jesus.

So you ask again to go pack, what's the difference? What's the comparison? Why are you so worked up about the difference. Loved one is between life and death, Heaven and Hell forgiveness versus unquenchable guilt. It's the difference between knowing god and not knowing him. That's the difference between my own righteousness and God's righteousness, which comes through faith in Christ.

04 Paul, this repentance meant turning from, what do you, what do you realized? Was all works based attempt to be justified before God turning, what he thought was Zeal for righteousness, which actually cause them to to have people put to death. Realizing that he was comparative Lee guilty and shameful apart from the Savior and turning to the surpassing value of knowing Christ.

What is repentance for us, it's all the same. It's all toward God. What is it from? It can vary their

It may be repentance from religion, even Christianity, as religion, where the what becomes everything in the who is just the title on the page.

No Christ is not just the name we take. He is as tall as told us the goal, the benefactor and the prize.

Repentance in this way. Might be from from having no system of belief or religion at all.

By the way, having no religion is really essentially the same as having Bad Religion because both of them all to mately point back to us. And find ourselves at the judge, as the rule, and it's the standard, it's nothing more than a righteousness of my own.

Repentance might be from, from no attempt at all that righteousness.

Herbalife purely based on desires following, every whim following, every Rabbit Trail of your imagination, seeking to find some kind of of happiness and satisfaction or contentment in whatever anything goes. As long as it's good for you, do what you do, what you want, what you want.

Repentance from this is no different than the others.

The question though, is is repentance is turning and following Christ worth it because that's really, that's really the question. Paul isn't the scripture who's answering here? Is it worth it? And the answer is a resounding. Yes. Yes, it is.

Even though. You will suffer. Temporary loss.

There is no promise of Earthly perfection. Uprooting of our desires and self-centered Focus. Painful thing.

but at the end, Is Christ. And all the way through is Christ. NFL start. Christ.

Whataburger number 10.

And see you as the testimony continues. What is what makes it all worth it. Oh, hell says, I'm in prison, my family hates me, my peers, the spies me. I've got people after me after my wife and it's all worth it because Or so that I may know him. Power of his resurrection. And may share in his sufferings becoming like him in his death. That by any means. Possible, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Oh, following Jesus, this is a reminder for the Christian and a and a an info for the, for a non-Christian following. Jesus Christ has with a trajectory that is that it's like Jesus life. Jesus was not immune from Earthly trouble and rejection. Jesus held up not his own Glory, but servanthood, Jesus suffered in his suffering did not mean he did anything wrong. The end. Know, his glory and resurrection and everlasting life.

Jesus died for us. The Weeknd live for him. Jesus live, like we could never live. Died of death. We could never die and rose from the dead. Something we could never dream.

In order to bring us with him.

Is there some loss? Do you really have to look at it? What do you stand to lose? Yes, you do. But is it worth it? So, it's worth it. It's worth it now. It's worth it tomorrow. It's worth it forever. Oh,

the value. The accounting that needs to change.

For Paul what? He had his assets, if your numbers person in his assets column All of that crumbled and turn into liability. And what was his liability which was trying to measure up to God. do then instead of God being a liability, he became the ass at true faith in Christ.

Every personal gain, every benefit in life, may be wonderful, and they are wonderful in their own ways. But the gospel comes in and tells us simply that while they're good and enjoyable. In the end, they don't add up to anything by themselves. and suddenly the picture changes,

It is the picture changes by the grace of Christ, what you get. Then it's a picture of a savior who is a redeemer and a friend and wonderful and kind and loving and merciful and good. A Saviour who is close to the brother listening to our prayers walking beside

surpassing worth of knowing Christ. And being found in him. Oh,

pray that this accounting would be renewed in your vision. It would be renewed in my vision. It would be renewed. So that we'd see it, like Jesus taught it and Matthew 13. When he gave this short Parable that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field with a man and found and covered up and and it is Joy. He went and sold everything. He had to buy that field.

Jesus. And his kingdom is that treasure.

Question is, do we value it? As it is.

When do we need this? Reminder. We need this reminder when things are good. Because then peripheral things stand out in our vision and their value seems really good when the dollar is up and gas is cheap.

we need these that this, reminder when things are bad,

when the loss of our tangible thing, seems unimaginable.

Most of the time. Do we need this? Reminder, when things are normal? Because well, then we're just kind of on autopilot and we don't give a whole lot of thought and either direction.

How would our wives be different this week? It's the surpassing value of knowing Christ was elevated by God's grace in our thinking. How would that look like in your life? Would it be coming to Christ for the first time? Would it be Christian refocusing and rejoicing again and his worth?

What would it change? How to change your attitude. What did change the ABS and flows of life when things are up and down. But Christ is all in all what did change your daily schedule? How to change your priorities?

Going back to where we started a few weeks ago. There is certainly one thing, one thing that it will affect And that is your joy.

Because they knowing Christ. There is true Joy. He is worth. More than we are more than we can ever have. And he is worth rejoicing in.