2020-01-03 Philippians 3

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.

I. Knowing God will cost you.

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

A. Faith is a call to die to yourself so that you can gain Christ.

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

Illus: If I were to say that your faith will cost you, the immediate idea that comes up is of the sinful world around us persecuting Christians.

Immediately we think of the recent attacks on religious freedom or on the unfair closures of churches in the midst this pandemic.

It is an easy straw man to build. If we can pass the blame to the world around us, then we can claim victim status, wallow in our perceived persecution, and completely miss the real sacrifice of following God.

It is easy to fall into this trap as our world seemed to be wired to elevate the victim. If everyone else is victims, why can’t we be.

Here is the truth, the grand cost of following Christ is not so much from the world as it is from what we willingly sacrifice for Christ.

When you hear Paul talk about sacrificing for Christ it is not about the persecution he faced. And he was beaten and left for dead.

When Paul talks about sacrifice it is the distinct sacrifice of himself to God.

So much of real faith could be summed up in John the Baptists words “He must become greater and I must become less.”

If you genuinely want to know God it begins with the sacrifice of yourself. It begins in looking and finding where God does not have all authority and dominion.

It looks to see what you prioritize over God.

The call of the Christian is to come and die. Die to yourself, your priorities, and all that you are so that you may gain God himself.

Perhaps the reason we know God so poorly is that we have become religious consumers not self sacrificers.

Galatians 2:20 ESV

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

B. Faith should transform all of your priorities.

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

Illus: You will not see genuine transformation in life without sacrifice and a complete upheaval of your priorities.

Looking back at my life I can see the major moments where my life was turned upside down and my priorities were completely transformed.

When I met my wife my life was completely transformed. Living a a single guy in the squaller of my own filth doing as I pleased hanging out with my other guy friends on Friday nights, my priorities shifted over night. After meeting her I didn’t want to hang out with the guys. I wanted to spend all my time with this beautiful woman. She transformed my life.

On July 24th 2006 my life was transformed again. Where Jennifer and I used to have the freedom to go and live how we wanted, things got turned completely upside down. Our priority became our sweet baby.

This is true of other things as well.

When I decided to train and compete in an Ironman, I completely rearranged my schedule to give a large amount of time to train. Roughly I would give 2-3 hours a day to physical training.

When I decided to get a doctorate, that pursuit also demanded a complete upheaval of my priorities. Where Ironman training took 2-3 hours of training a day, the doctorate took 2-3 hours of study and writing a day.

As marriage, children, the Ironman, and a doctorate took a place in my life, I purposely rearranged my life so that those things became a priority.

The reason we see so little transformation in our lives and know God so poorly is that we do not prioritize our lives for that pursuit.

I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that the greatest moment of transformation in my life was when I was 16 and God became the priority of my life.

From that point forward, my faithfulness in serving God became the single factor in every decision I made.

When you look at the priorities of your life, do you choose God first, and then everything else, or is God simply one of the many things that have a voice and seat in your life.

Mark 8:34–36 ESV

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

II. Knowing God will transform you.

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,

A. Faith means you find your life in God.

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

Illus: Jesus told a parable about a treasure in a field. When a man discovered it he sold all that he had to buy the field and gain the treasure.

That is the picture of faith. Faith is sacrificing everything to gain Christ.

Sadly faith today is more of an add on to a life spent in personal fulfillment.

We live our lives for so many things and try to sprinkle faith on top.

This is what I mean: We live to gain money and the nicetities, relationships, and fulfillment that come with it. Then we add a little Jesus to our lives just so we will be blessed.

We live for politics. We consume them 24/7, talk of them constantly, and view the world through their influence. We then sprinkle a little Jesus on top of the politics so that we feel we are making a difference for the lord.

We live for vanity. We post constantly looking for admiration carefully curating every word and image. Everything including our well curated messes is presented for the world to admire us. We even add Jesus to our never ending desire of vanity.

Listen to the words of Paul.... I count everything loss.

Your pursuit of wealth should take a back seat to your pursuit of Christ.

Your pursuit of politics should take a back seat to your pursuit of Christ.

Your pursuit of admiration on a screen should take a back seat to your pursuit of Christ.

Be honest, God is not your priority. He has become an add on to a life lived to fulfill yourself.

To gain Christ you must be willing to sacrifice everything and count it as garbage.

You will find fulfillment only when you find it in Christ.

Romans 14:8 ESV

8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

B. Faith even transforms the way you look at suffering and death.

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

This past year suffering has abounded.

Many of you have either suffered physically or have lost someone dear to you.

Many of you have suffered emotionally. The stress of these days has become to much to bare.

Many of you have suffered economically. With the crash of the oil fields, the forced health mandates, and the continued deterioration of the economy you are stretched thin.

Many today are suffering with political or national disappointment as a nation they love continues to falter and fail.

It is ok to feel the sting and pain in these days as a world of death has shaken us deeply. Much of what we thought we could count on has been ripped from under our feet.

Embrace the emptiness and brokenness of this moment knowing that even in these days God is not done.

Why, even the pain that we feel at this moment is a reminder that the answers of this world reside solely in the resurrection promised to us.

I will gladly walk again through 2020 because I know God will redeem 2020 eternally.

Romans 8:18 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

III. Knowing God is about eternity.

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

A. Faith is a life lived for eternity.

We have lived our lives in a way that we want a faith with as little sacrifice as possible.

It is almost as if we ask the question what is the least I need to do or give up to follow Jesus.

Paul gives us a necessary perspective today. Whatever is gained I found as loss. More than that I consider everything loss compared to knowing Christ Jesus.

Are you tired of the half hearted minimum requirement Christianity that you have lived?

Would you embrace a faith with me that sees this world as temporal, that sees the underwhelming fulfillments of this world as passing, and sees Christ as the true reason priority, and prize of life?

There truly is only one thing that will ever satisfy your soul and that is Jesus. Faith in him is sacrificing yourself.

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.”