The value of knowing Christ

Philippians 3:1–11 “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”

whatever we do rejoice.

we should never get tired of telling or hearing about the good news.

It is a safeguard to us. We do not always need to hear some ne thing. But Christ. It is our guardrails.

Hearing christ preached often reminds us of him and helps us to not stray away.

Beware of relying on yourself

Philippians 3:1–4 “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!”

who are these dogs, those who do evil, the mutilators of the flesh?

they are people, probably jews who are convincing gentiles to get circumsided in order ot be saved. They are requiring them to meet a legal rule in order to get salivation. They are adding a work or something we do to the cross of Christ.

they would convince you by, saying yes we believe in Christ, of course but you just need to do this one thing to be righteous

self-righteousness is a lie

we cannot be self-rigtheous it is not possible for us. We are just lying to ourselves

where is your confidence?

Is it on christ or ourselves. Who do we rely on to get by?

self-glory

saying look at me

if I were to ask you what are you most proud of today?

Confidence in Christ

Philippians 3:4–9 “though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.”

Lose the world

to the world and to the jews Paul was the man. Good in standing with law, he looked the part acted the part. He was a roman citizen. His life appeared good. but it was empty. worthless.

Philippians 3:8 “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ”

Consider it as dung, all that you earned, all that you have.

the value, the reward of knowing Jesus is worth all the pain that might happen.

Paul will be whipped, stoned, shipwrecked, beaten, killed and still he is saying knowing Christ it worth it.

He lost his standing

his life got harder

but he gained christ

Gain Christ

I want to know Christ

Philippians 3:10–11 “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”

are you happy with how close you are to Christ right now?

have you settled in your faith?

i feel like i have, but i dont want to anymore.

i want to feel the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him. So wheter I experience it or go through it I will be like him and with.

Ephesians 3:18–19 “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

Play be thou my vision