The Greatest Gain

TURN to PHIL. CH. 3… V7

**PITCH VOLUNTEER DINNER**

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Passage Reading:

Philippians 3:7–11 (ESV)

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

9 and be found in him, 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—

10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

---OPEN in PRAYER---

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INTRO: BEAUTY IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

I’M SURE WE’VE ALL HEARD THE QUOTE THAT BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.

ALSO SENSE: “VALUE” = in EYE of BEHOLDER...

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BOTH SPENDERS/SAVERS...

ANY OTHER SAVERS,, STRUGGLE to SPEND MONEY at TIMES?

ALL of US PROBABLY HAVE AREAS WHERE WE’RE CHEAP

AND AREAS WHERE WE CAN SPLURGE

ME: PAPER TOWEL MATH— BUYING EGGNOG

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MEN:

MIGHT BE CHEAP/CONSERVATIVE...

NICE TRUCK: MORE “SMILES” PER GALLON

NEW GUNS—GREATER VARIETY of CALIBERS

“CHOOSING SIZE of HOLE in HOME INVADER”

NEW TECH

VACATIONS??

ETC

LADIES:

MIGHT BE CHEAP/CONSERVATIVE

HOUSE DECOR/COUCH PILLOWS

“REAL” VANILLA VS. FAKE STUFF

NICE CLOTHES/SHOES/OUTFITS

COFFEE

EVEN the CHEAPEST of US HAVE THINGS WE’RE WILLING to SPEND MORE ON…

BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY HAS INTRINSIC VALUE…

BUT HAS VALUE to US

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FAMOUS PAINTINGS/CARD COLLECTIONS...—GAZILLION DOLLARS

WE’D PROBABLY NEVER PAY THAT,, BUT IT STILL HAS THAT VALUE...

PRICE TAG = ACCURATE—WHETHER YOU WANT to BELIEVE it OR NOT..

(T) HOW THIS APPLIES SPIRITUALLY...

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NEED:

SAVIOR = GREATEST WORTH… (INTRINSICALLY)

Revelation 5:12 (ESV)

12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Revelation 5:13 (ESV)

13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

ONE THING FROM TEXT TODAY:

LORD JESUS CHRIST— ONE of GREATEST WORTH

QUESTION for US: WILL WE SEE THIS?? HOW DO WE VALUE HIM?

DO WE RESPOND APPROPRIATELY to HIS FAR-SURPASSING WORTH??

(T) KEEP THESE THINGS in MIND...

BUT BEFORE WE DIVE INTO THIS WEEK’S TEXT, I WANT TO OFFER A SHORT RECAP FOR THOSE WHO WEREN’T HERE LAST WEEK:

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RECAP:

Last Wk:

WARNING: THOSE WHO ADD WORKS to GOSPEL of GRACE!

WATCH OUT!!!!

DOGS

EVILDOERS

THOSE WHO MUTILATE the FLESH

JEWISH-CHRISTIANS WHO WOULD REQUIRE CIRCUMCISION & KEEPING of LAW FOR CHRISTIAN SALVATION

**IF YOU’RE NOT FAMILIAR W/ THESE CONCEPTS— PLEASE GO WATCH/LISTEN to LAST WEEK’S MESSAGE**

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TO THIS, PAUL SAYS:

WE’RE the TRUE CIRCUMCISION/PEOPLE of GOD

WORSHIP BY SPIRIT of GOD

GLORY in JESUS CHRIST

PUT NO CONFIDENCE in FLESH

CHRIST & CHRIST ALONE = OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

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PAUL GOES THROUGH “RESUME” —BOASTING in FLESH

*THINK YOU’RE RIGHTEOUS NATURALLY? PAUL’S GOT YOU BEAT!

HEBREW of HEBREWS—GOOD BACKGROUND

ZEALOUS & BLAMELESS— GOOD EFFORTS...

**BUT WE BOAST in CHRIST…

**WE PUT NO CONFIDENCE in FLESH—BUT in CHRIST!!**

(T) PICKING UP—WHAT PAUL DOES W/ HIS CREDENTIALS...

LOOK W/ ME @ PHIL. CH. 3.... VS. 7

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PREACHING PASSAGE: PHILIPPIANS 3:7-11 ESV

THOUGHT 1 (V7)

Philippians 3:7–11 (ESV)

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

TODAY’S TEXT: 3 “COUNTINGS” of PAUL....

(V7)

(V8A)

(V8B)

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(1) HE HAS COUNTED HIS FORMER “GAIN” as “LOSS”

GK. ACCOUNTING TERMS— ASSETS VS. LIABILITIES

ADDING UP NET WORTH

TALLYING ASSETS VS. LIABILITIES (DEBTS)

401(K)/I.R.A.

HOUSE EQUITY

CAR DEBT

CREDIT CARD, ETC.

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BACKGROUND: “GAIN” =

HIS FORMER WAY OF LIFE,

HIS ACHIEVEMENTS,

HIS STRIVING,

HIS REPUTATION,

ALL THESE CREDENTIALS (LAST WK)

PAST TENSE: I COUNTED/HAVE COUNTED AS LOSS...

PAUL MEETING JESUS on DAMASCUS ROAD…

**REMEMBER: SAUL/PAUL THOUGHT HE WAS RIGHT W/ GOD!**

HE WAS STRIVING

ZEALOUS

AT WORK for GOD—HE THOUGHT!

PAUL REALIZED HIS GREATEST EFFORTS = NOTHING!

HIS “RIGHTEOUSNESS” WAS ACTUALLY UNRIGHTEOUS!

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**PAUL MOVED the “ASSETS” to “LIABILITIES”!!

NOT JUST a “0” BUT a DEBT!!

BEFORE CONVERSION: THESE THINGS WERE EVERYTHING to HIM!!

STUDYING LAW TEDIOUSLY UNDER GAMALIEL

FROM CHILDHOOD—STRIVING to KEEP IT...

THINK of the COUNTLESS HOURS....

PAUL CONCLUDES: HUGE LIABILITY

WHY??

HE THOUGHT HE WAS RIGHT W/ GOD & WASN’T....

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PAUL WAS DECEIVED.......

HUGE PROBLEM TODAY: COUNTLESS PEOPLE THINK THEY’RE RIGHT W/ GOD & AREN’T...

TALKING ABOUT ETERNITY—HAVING to “UNSAVE” SOMEONE MENTALLY!

COMMON BELIEFS:

“GOOD PEOPLE GO to HEAVEN”

GONE to CHURCH SINCE I WAS a KID

PRAYED in SUNDAY-SCHOOL

STARTED COMING to CHURCH—GETTING LIFE in ORDER...

READING BIBLE/PRAYING...

WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERS: “DID YOU COME to CHRIST???”

HAVE YOU TRUSTED CHRIST???

“ASSETS” THAT LEAVE YOU APART FROM CHRIST = LIABILITIES!!

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CHRISTIAN RALLY: PRAYED the PRAYER W/ EVERYONE ELSE--

DIDN’T UNDERSTAND IT

DIDN’T ACTUALLY RECEIVE CHRIST

HAVE NO CONCEPT of WHAT SALVATION ACTUALLY IS...

CONVINCED: THEY GOT THEIR “GET OUT of HELL FOR FREE” CARD...

—> NEVER ANY FRUIT — PARABLE of SOWER “GOOD SOIL” PRODUCES FRUIT… BUT THEY HAVE NO CONCEPT

**WHY I SHARE GOSPEL & SAY I’D LOVE to TALK to YOU AFTER**

DON’T WANT PEOPLE LEAVING OUR SERVICE W/ FALSE ASSURANCE IF THEY HAVEN’T TRUSTED CHRIST

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MANY COME to CHURCH WEEKLY

BORN in CHURCH

TRY & BE— “GOOD PERSON”

THEY’VE NEVER TRUSTED CHRIST...

ALL THESE “ASSETS” ARE HUGE LIABILITIES

THIS WAS THE STATE of SAUL OF TARSUS/APOSTLE PAUL...., BEFORE HE CAME TO FAITH IN CHRIST IN ACTS CHAPTER NINE.

(T) AND PAUL’S CONSIDERATION OF THESE THINGS, NAMELY HIS CREDENTIALS,

ISN’T JUST A PAST TENSE REALITY…

IT’S ALSO HIS PRESENT REALITY,

LOOK W/ ME @ BEGINNING of V8....

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THOUGHT 2 (V8A)

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

2ND COUNTING:

(2) PAUL COUNTS EVERYTHING as LOSS

NO LONGER: PAST TENSE—PRESENT TENSE

NO LONGER: “GAIN” — BUT EVERYTHING!!

NOT JUST HIS “CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH” BUT EVERYTHING......

WHY???

—>> BECAUSE of the SURPASSING WORTH of KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD.

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EVERY THING THIS LIFE OFFERS....PALES in COMPARISON to JESUS CHRIST....

“I’D RATHER HAVE JESUS THAN SILVER & GOLD…I’D RATHER HAVE JESUS THAN RICHES UNTOLD”

(Q) DO YOU SEE...PAUL’S PAST-TENSE CONVERSION HAD PRESENT-TENSE EFFECTS??

PAUL LEFT HIS FORMER LIFE BEHIND

&& STARTED a NEW LIFE in PURSUIT of CHRIST

DENYING MYSELF

TAKING UP CROSS

FOLLOWING HIM

KNOWING JESUS—THAT’S EVERYTHING...

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HE’S MY LORD. IT’S PERSONAL!

HE is THE LORD....

ONE DAY EVERY KNEE WILL BOW & TONGUE CONFESS...

BUT if HE YOUR LORD, PERSONALLY??

HAVE YOU SUBMITTED to CHRIST as LORD??

HE COMES to SAVE US & REIGN in US....

HE’S the ONE to WHOM I OWE ALL ALLEGIANCE

HE’S MY MASTER.

HE’S MY BOSS.

HE’S THE ULTIMATELY AUTHORITY IN MY LIFE.

HE’S THE RULING KING,

NOT ONLY OF HEAVEN,

BUT OF MY HEART.

NOT JUST in THEORY—BUT HE RUNS the SHOW

HIS WILL BE DONE = MY HEART’S CRY...

HE ISN’T MY BUDDY

CO-PILOT

HEAVENLY BUTLER

BUT MY SAVIOR & MY LORD & MY GOD...

(T) AND PAUL CONTINUES THIS THOUGHT WITH A THIRD COUNTING NOW, HE WRITES:

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THOUGHT 3 (V8B)

8B For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

LANGUAGE KEEPS BUILDING....

FOR CHRIST’S SAKE—BECAUSE of CHRIST— SUFFERED the LOSS of ALL THINGS...

COMING to CHRIST—IT COST PAUL

PREVIOUS LIFE—GONE

FAMILY??

ALL HIS CREDENTIALS…GONE...

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ALL THAT PAUL LOST,, SACRIFICES of THIS LIFE...—ALL APART FROM CHRIST… IT’S RUBBISH.

VERY GENTLE TRANSLATION.

GREEK WORD: SENSE of WHERE USELESSNESS & FECES OVERLAP

BETTER TRANSLATION: COUNT ALL THESE THINGS AS CRAP.

**SOMETHING I’D NEVER READ in a GREEK LEXICON BEFORE**

USELESS & VILE

WITHOUT PURPOSE

NEEDING to BE THROWN/FLUSHED AWAY

ILLUSTRATION:

*RIPPING PAUL’S CREDENTIALS*

*RIPPING OUR CREDENTIALS*

BEYOND CREDENTIALS—PAUL SAYS ALL THINGS

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ALL DOWN the DRAIN...

IN ORDER THAT....

I MIGHT GAIN CHRIST.

GAINING CHRIST = the GOAL of LIFE.

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS ISN’T the GOAL

SELF-IMPROVEMENT ISN’T the GOAL

GAINING this WORLD & ITS RICHES ISN’T the GOAL

GLORYING in SELF ISN’T the GOAL

KNOWING CHRIST & GAINING HIM SO FAR SURPASSES EVERYTHING ELSE....THE REST IS ALL JUST CRAP.

CHRIST is EVERYTHING!

(T) AND NOT ONLY DOES PAUL WANT TO GAIN CHRIST,

BUT HE FURTHER EXPLAINS WHAT THIS MEANS:

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 9....

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THOUGHT 4 (V9)

9 and be found in him, 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—

COUNTING ALL THINGS as RUBBISH....

TO GAIN CHRIST

& BE FOUND in HIM

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NO LONGER in ADAM—DEAD & LOST in SIN

BUT in 2ND ADAM—CHRIST

FOUND RIGHTEOUS in GOD’S SIGHT BECAUSE of CHRIST!!

ILL. REF: CHRIST’S RESUME! & CONTRAST W/ OURS....

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RIGHTEOUSNESS/RIGHT-STANDING W/ GOD.... IT DOESN’T COME THROUGH WORKS of the LAW

COMES THROUGH FAITH in CHRIST

COMES FROM GOD.

GIVEN,, NOT EARNED...

JOSEPH HELLERMAN...“THAT WHICH HAD POSITIONED THE APOSTLE AT THE TOP OF THE SOCIAL PECKING ORDER AMONG HIS TORAH-MINDED JEWISH CONTEMPORARIES GAINS PAUL NO STATUS WHATSOEVER IN GOD’S JUDICIAL ECONOMY.”[1]

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PAUL’S CREDENTIALS…STRIVING… ALL THESE THINGS WERE LIABILITIES…THEY ARE THROWN ASIDE… WHAT MATTERS is CHRIST...

CHURCH WE AREN’T ACCEPTED in GOD’S SIGHT...

BECAUSE of WHAT WE DO...

BUT BECAUSE of WHAT HE’S DONE...

NOT BECAUSE of WHO WE ARE

BUT BECAUSE of WHO HE IS...

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I’M NO MORE LOVED,, ACCEPTED,, RIGHTEOUS in GOD’S SIGHT BECAUSE I’M a PASTOR.

I CAN’T PREACH ENOUGH SERMONS:

to MAKE GOD LOVE ME MORE

or GET ME INTO HEAVEN

TO PUT ME HIGHER on the TOTEM POLE in GOD’S ECONOMY....

YOU CAN’T SERVE, GIVE, ATTEND,, ETC.... ENOUGH to BECOME RIGHTEOUS in GOD’S SIGHT....

YOU DON’T COME to CHURCH to GO to HEAVEN

BUT BECAUSE HEAVEN is YOUR AFTERLIFE DESTINATION,,

CHURCH SHOULD FREQUENTLY BE YOUR PRESENT-LIFE DESTINATION

YOU DON’T PRAY/READ SCRIPTURE to GO to HEAVEN

BUT YOU DO THESE THINGS to BETTER KNOW JESUS CHRIST—THE REASON YOU’RE GOING to HEAVEN

RELIGIOUS THINGS in PURSUIT of RELATIONSHIP ARE GOOD.

RELIGIOUS THINGS in PURSUIT of RIGHT-STANDING ARE a LIABILITY & FALSE HOPE....

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OUR HOPE is CHRIST ALONE

OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS is CHRIST ALONE

OUR ASSURANCE is IN CHRIST ALONE

EVERYTHING WE HAVE is in CHRIST ALONE!

(T) AND BEYOND THE PAST-TENSE CONVERSION AND JUSTIFICATION,

THERE’S BOTH A PRESENT AND FUTURE ASPECT TO THIS AS WELL, PAUL WRITES:

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THOUGHT 5 (V10-11)

10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

PAUL SAYS:

COUNTS ALL THINGS as RUBBISH:

IN ORDER to GAIN CHRIST

FOUND in HIM

NOW: TO KNOW HIM.

KNOW POWER of RESURRECTION

SHARE in SUFFERING

BECOMING LIKE HIM in HIS DEATH...

AGAIN: PAST-TENSE CONVERSION—HAS PRESENT-TENSE REALITIES!

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(I) KNOWING POWER of RESURRECTION

CHRISTIAN, BELIEVER in CHRIST HAS ACCESS to POWER! SAME POWER THAT RAISED CHRIST FROM the DEAD

Ephesians 1:19 (ESV)

19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

Philippians 2:13 (ESV)

13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

GOD GRANTS POWER THROUGH HOLY SPIRIT to BELIEVERS...

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(II) SHARING in SUFFERING

CHRISTIAN LIFE ISN’T PROMISED to BE EASY

John 16:33 (ESV)

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

SIN & SUFFERING = WHY WE NEED POWER.

PAUL SHARED in CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS CONSTANTLY—REMEMBER HE’S in PRISON!

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(III) BECOMING LIKE HIM/CONFORMED to HIM in DEATH

OUR “DEATH” to SIN

Romans 6:4 (ESV)

4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

(T) AS WE WERE “BURIED”—OLD MAN = CRUCIFIED WITH HIM...

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(V11) THERE’S the HOPE of FINAL RESURRECTION

PAUL REFERENCES ALL THREE STAGES of CHRISTIAN LIFE:

JUSTIFICATION— RECEIVING CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH— PAUL’S “PAST” COUNTING

SANCTIFICATION— PRESENT EXPERIENCE of KNOWING CHRIST—PURSUING HIM—KNOWING HIS POWER, SUFFERING, & DEATH

GLORIFICATION— FUTURE EXPERIENCE of RESURRECTION & NEW BODY

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IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE PAUL HAS DOUBTS… LIKE “I HOPE I MAKE IT”

DON’T BELIEVE THAT’S WHAT HE’S GETTING AT.

SCHOLAR, STEPHEN RUNGE: PAUL’S TRYING to MAKE it CLEAR THAT GOD DOESN’T “OWE US”

GIFT of GRACE,, WE AREN’T ENTITLED to ANYTHING...

YOU CAN HAVE ASSURANCE:

1 John 5:13 (ESV)

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

BUT KNOW IT’S in CHRIST & CHRIST ALONE:

GOD = A GRACIOUS GIVER…NOT an INDEBTED SERVANT

(T) AND SO, WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS PASSAGE TODAY, THE IDEA THAT:

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HOMILETICAL IDEA:

PURSUING CHRIST IS THE GOAL OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS THIS PURSUIT SHOULD BE CAST ASIDE.

GOSPEL: THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES THROUGH FAITH

I HOPE IT’S INCREDIBLY CLEAR THIS MORNING…

CHRIST is OUR GOAL—BECAUSE OF WHAT HE’S DONE FOR US AT CALVARY...

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OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS ISN’T ENOUGH

OUR GOOD DEEDS AREN’T ENOUGH

NOTHING WE BRING to the TABLE is ENOUGH

ONLY CHRIST....

PAUL’S “RIGHTEOUSNESS” = A LIABILITY— THE FURTHEST THING FROM HELPFUL!!!

**HE WAS BLAMELESS ACCORDING to the LAW

MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN ALL of US COMBINED...

IT WAS LOSS—

HE HAD a FALSE ASSURANCE...

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IF YOU’RE HERE THIS MORNING…THINKING THAT YOU’RE RIGHTEOUS in GOD’S SIGHT & FORGIVEN BECAUSE YOU STARTED COMING to CHURCH…YOU’RE WRONG.

BECAUSE YOU SERVE,, GIVE,, ETC...

IF YOUR RIGHTEOUS STANDING BEFORE GOD is DEPENDENT UPON ANYTHING YOU HAVE DONE—YOU’RE WITHOUT HOPE.

IF YOUR RIGHTEOUS STANDING BEFORE GOD is DEPENDENT UPON WHO YOU ARE— YOU’RE WITHOUT HOPE

IT MUST DEPEND UPON CHRIST & CHRIST ALONE

WHO HE IS

WHAT HE HAS DONE

TRUSTING in HIM as LORD & SAVIOR

HE’S the ONE WHO’S MADE a WAY FOR US...

IF YOU’RE HERE THIS MORNING WITHOUT ASSURANCE/HOPE—I’D LOVE to SPEAK W/ YOU AFTER the SERVICE...

(T) AND NOW, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED, THOSE WHO ARE A PART OF GOD’S FAMILY, I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU WITH THE TRUTHS OF THIS PASSAGE:

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APP: PURSUING CHRIST

· PAUL PUTS IT SO CLEARLY IN THIS PASSAGE THAT THE GREATEST GAIN IS TO HAVE CHRIST.

EVERYTHING ELSE is a LIABILITY

EVERYTHING WE PURSUE in this LIFE—THAT’S APART FROM CHRIST & DISTANCES US FROM HIM… IT’S LIABILITY...

· INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, JESUS ONCE USED SOME OF THE SAME WORDS WHEN HE WARNED:

Matthew 16:26 (ESV)

26 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?

THIS WORLD OFFERS NO TRUE GAIN, ONLY LOSS.

CHRIST is the ONLY TRUE GAIN...

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IN LIGHT of THIS.... LOOK AT YOUR LIFE....

WHAT DO YOU ADD UP as “ASSETS” VS. “LIABILITIES”

WHAT “WEALTH” DO YOU CELEBRATE & LIVE FOR??

HAVE YOU LOST SIGHT of the FACT THAT CHRIST ALONE is TRUE GAIN??

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PAUL SAYS EVERYTHING HE’S LOST—EVERYTHING APART FROM CHRIST— HIS FORMER CREDENTIALS, WAY of LIFE, ETC....

IT’S RUBBISH. IT’S CRAP.

WEIGHING in the BALANCES: JESUS or THIS STUFF??

IF I CAN HAVE CHRIST—I’LL DITCH EVERYTHING ELSE....

IF YOU PUT THE PURSUITS OF YOUR LIFE ON THE SCALES THIS MORNING, HOW WOULD THE BALANCE LOOK?

IS KNOWING JESUS CHRIST & PURSUING AFTER HIM the GOAL of YOUR LIFE?

OR IS YOUR LIFE DEVOTED to “GAINING the WORLD?”

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EARTHLY MINISTRY: JESUS ASKING PEOPLE to FOLLOW HIM...

PETER & ANDREW—LEFT CAREERS

JAMES & JOHN— LEFT FAMILY BUSINESS

MATTHEW—LEFT PROFITABLE JOB

IMMEDIATELY they FOLLOWED HIM.

THEY SAW HIS WORTH...

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OTHERS: NOT SO MUCH....

· THERE’S AN INTERESTING AND INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING PASSAGE IN LUKE 9:57-62

Luke 9:57–62 (ESV)

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”

62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

SOME PEOPLE LOVE the IDEA of FOLLOWING JESUS.... AS LONG AS it DOESN’T COST THEM ANYTHING.

CHRIST is to BE #1 — ALL ELSE is SECONDARY

(Q) DO YOU HAVE ANY COMPETING DESIRES THAT NEEDED to BE DUMPED for the CRAP THAT THEY ARE?

AREAS of LIFE,

SECRET SINS,

BAD RELATIONSHIPS,

THINGS THAT TAKE YOU AWAY FROM CHRIST...

THAT NEED to BE FLUSHED?

THINGS THAT SHOULD BE SHIPPED to the LANDFILL?

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IF CHRIST WAS WILLING to GIVE HIS LIFE FOR US…SURELY WE CAN GIVE BACK to HIM

HE WAS WILLING to SACRIFICE EVERYTHING…ARE WE WILLING to SACRIFICE ANYTHING?

IF HE SHED HIS BLOOD... CAN WE NOT SHED SOME EARTHLY PLEASURES AND DISTRACTIONS?

TO KNOW CHRIST

TO KNOW the POWER of HIS RESURRECTION

TO SHARE in HIS SUFFERINGS

TO BECOME LIKE HIM in DEATH

TO GAIN CHRIST & BE FOUND in HIM—IS THE GREATEST GAIN...

ALL ELSE PALES in COMPARISON.

Close in Prayer