Gain Christ - Outline

In order to gain, we will suffer. If we treasure, suffering will come

Paul suffered loss

Think about it. Paul, chasing the dream, was promised a life of luxury....just as we are

Contrary to the American Dream. Contrary to popular Christian beliefs (Your Best Life Now)

We aren’t called to consider everything as less valuable than Christ. But we are called to be willing to suffer actual loss

Easy to Talk the talk, harder to walk the walk

What if....Paul never changed

Wouldn’t be the Paul we know today

Paul’s suffering

Job, comfort, friends, belief system

Whole heartedly

Paul’s suffering didn’t stop there

Imprisoned, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, bitten by a snake, verbally abused, persecuted

Question…has your life been completely altered for the sake of Christ?

Not saying you have to quit job, sell everything, ditch friends

Not saying you have to suffer imprisonment, etc.

But…if any of these things are keeping you from pursuing Christ as your treasure…then maybe it’s worth thinking about

Jesus makes it clear

Example: Weightlifting…okay with devaluing everything else, but also okay with suffering actual loss

Times are changing…suffering is coming. bubble is popping

What was his motive to gain Christ?

To be a super Christian, to be the guy, to complete a checklist?

He suffered for the sake of Christ, he suffered to gain Christ.

Not in order to earn

Lots of religions and ideas that teach this

Otherwise…you’d just be shifting the cultural pressures to gain to spiritual pressures to gain

Lots of religions and ideas that teach this

R.C. Sproul - one of my favorite theologians, taught a lot on the holiness of God. And this is a concept I’ve been thinking of

So perfect/righteous/without sin

It’s foolish to think we can gain Christ on our own