EXPERIENCING JOY THROUGH VALUING CHRISTA while back, I was reading through a few of the reports about survivors from the Titanic and one thing that was very interesting to me were several stories about men and women who had to leave behind valuable items like money and jewelry in exchange for warm clothes and food.
Without understanding the situation, I think that few if any of us would have chosen food in exchange for $10,000 worth of jewelry or warm clothes in exchange for $100,000 worth of stocks and bonds, but people on that night did.
Why the shift in values? Because on that night they knew their ship was going down and that soon they were going to be stranded at sea and that no amount of jewelry nor could all the money in the world keep them from hypothermia and starvation.
After reading this, I began to think of the countless number of things in our world that we treasure that really have little to no value in the grand scheme of things.
In our text for today, Paul is going to challenge us to make this kind of drastic shift in values. Because the truth is our ship is going down as well. Scripture clearly states that “The world along with its desires are passing away.” And many of the things we currently value matter little when this happens.
Knowing this truth Paul calls for his readers to value Christ because He is the only one worth valuing when "the world along with its desires finally pass away.”
I. RECOGNIZE HIS VALUE
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
In the previous passage, Paul warned the Christians at Philippi about the influence of the Judaizers. Remember their message was that Christ though significant is not sufficient and also taught that for one to be saved; they had to being circumcised and abide by other Jewish laws.
In the previous verses Paul calls the Judaizers out. He basically says “If anyone has a reason to boast about being Jewish and zealous for the Jewish cause—it’s me.” He then he goes on rattle off his impressive religious resume. After listing his accomplishments, Paul concludes that all of these achievements he once held in high regard, he now considers to be of no value in comparison to Christ.
At the beginning of v. 8 he takes this point to the next level by basically saying, “Not only do I consider my Jewish credentials and accomplishments as of no advantage at all, but I consider everything as nothing in comparison to knowing Christ as Lord." And goes on to say, "Because of Christ, i have abandoned all of those things I used to do and hold dear and now consider them to be as garbage (also translated “excrement”) so that I may gain Christ.
Why did Paul go to these extremes to say that all things are garbage and why did he abandon all of his accomplishments? Because he knew, like those who chose clothes and food over money and jewels when evacuating the Titanic, that all of those things of earthly value that many treasure matter little in the grand scheme of things.
Paul knew that none of those accomplishments could give him what he needed most—A right standing with God, joy in this life and the assurance of a glorious future. He also came understand that when compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ, all things are worthless.
Think about the things in this world that you truly value. How many of those would you cast aside without a second thought or glance for Christ and how many of those things would you be hesitant to let go of?
Let me challenge you today…
RECOGNIZE CHRIST’S VALUE AND LIVE TO PROVE THAT HE IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN ALL THINGS.
II. TREASURE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS
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
The reason for Paul's single minded devotion to Christ is answered here in this verse. The great goal of Paul's life as a Pharisee was righteousness. He wanted to be right with God and arrogantly thought his efforts would cut it. In the previous passage, Paul discussed how serious he once was in this pursuit. In 3:6 he says, “As to righteousness under the law, I was blameless.”
And as we said last week, before Christ Paul carried around his religious resume' with pride and according to the Judaizer's standard, it was impressive. I’m convinced that many of them would have loved to have had Paul's credentials, which is what makes what Paul says here so significant. He says his desire is to be found in Christ alone and be completely united with him and in no way did he want his filthy rags of achievement to held to God’s perfect standard.
Though he once thought of them as being of worth, after seeing what God required in a clearer light, Paul reexamined his own record and discovered that he was spiritually bankrupt apart from Christ. Paul came to the realization that he was in need of something he did not have that only Christ could give-Righteousness on Par with God Himself.
Which is why his only desire was "to be found in (Christ)"—to be completely united with Him. When standing before God, Paul wanted to be clothed in Christ’s righteousness, because he knew that was the only way he could be received by God.
To truly value Christ the way we should, we have to put no stock in our filthy rags of achievement and receive and treasure His immaculate robe of righteousness.
III. LONG TO KNOW HIM
That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.
Paul is basically saying, "All I care about in this life is to know Christ for who he truly is—to experience Him and be associated with Him in every way imaginable.
1st Paul says, he wants to know the power of Christ’s resurrection, which is a reference to the changing power of Christ. Because Christ was raised from death, His resurrection power is able to take a person who is dead in sin, against God, unable to willfully choose Him and live for Him and transform them into a child of God. This happened in Paul’s life and he knew and taught that this resurrection power that saved him, was also what he needed to live a godhonoring life. Therefore his aim in life was to experience that power more and more so he could live as faithfully and fully for God as possible.
2nd Paul says he wants to share in Christ’s sufferings. Paul knew and taught that suffering is apart of the Christian life and considered it a privilege to suffer for the cause of Christ because he knew that just made him all the more like Jesus. He valued Christ to such an extent that he preferred suffering with Him rather than prospering without Him.
Lastly Paul says he longs to become like Christ in his death. Here he is not talking about death in the physical sense at all. He is talking about becoming more like Christ and associated with Him through dying daily to his own pride, sinful goals and self-exalting desires.
This is the same thing Christ required of His followers during His earthly ministry. He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Mt. 16:24).
In this verse, Christ is explaining what Christianity is all about. He’s basically saying, “If you truly value me, if you truly want to be my disciple, you have to "die to self-will and embrace God's will."
Though it’s easy to say “I value Christ” proving it with your actions is a different matter altogether. Paul did more than simply say that he valued Christ, he proved it by how he lived. May that be true of us.
IV. LIVE FOR HIS RETURN
That by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Paul longed for the day when he would leave this life of sin and death and enter into the presence of the Lord and be made like Him. He said something along these lines earlier in the book. When faced with the uncertainty of whether or not he would live or die, Paul stated that his greater desire was to depart and be with Christ which he said is greater by far (Phil. 1:24).
Unfortunately many of us because we place such a great value on the things of this world, aren’t on the same page with Paul when he says “to depart and be with Christ is better by far.”
Though we understand what he is saying, if we are honest—We like the house and town we live in, the car we drive, the friends and family we have and the fun we have here on earth and want to stay here awhile.
Paul proved he valued Jesus by having a greater desire for his heavenly home. Though this is a hard concept for us to swallow because all we have ever known is our earthly home, it is important for us to realize that this world in no way, shape or form compares with the place Christ is preparing for us. God’s word goes to great lengths to affirm this.
Paul longed for that day. What about you? Do you long for that day? Are you living your life today with that day in mind? As believers, we should long for and live for Christ’s return.
CONCLUSION
Do you want to experience joy in this life? Then you have to value Christ above all else. This is what God requires of all of us. This is the message of Christianity.
