Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ

Pastor Chang Kim

Philippians 3:7-11

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.

Introduction: Our appetite dictates the direction of our lives.  

What is your appetite this morning?

I. Consider everything a loss vv7-8a

For Paul he rejects them with horror and treats them as liabilities.  

To know the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ, he counts everything a loss. 

Let me share with you four basic ways we can know the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ. 

1. Reading the Bible

2. Prayer

3. Coming to Church

4. Sharing the Gospel

II.        That I may gain Christ v8b-9

It is knowing and trusting Christ and believing that gaining Christ overwhelms the things we give up. 

The word that we must look at is the word, “RUBBISH”

Giving everything up in order to gain Christ and to be found in Him.

III.      Know Him and the power of His resurrection vv10-11

 What is our way this morning? Would you be willing to give everything up for Christ if He asked you to? What is our appetite?

 Whatever your appetite is, it will dictate the direction of our lives. 

Conclusion

John Piper: “Jesus said some people hear the word of God, and a desire for God is awakened in their hearts.  But then, “as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life” (Luke 8:14).  In another place he said, “The desires for other thing enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19).  “The pleasures of this life” and “the desires for other things”—these are not evil themselves.  These are not vices.  These are gifts from God.  They are your basic meat and potatoes and coffee and gardening and reading and decorating and traveling and investing and TV-watching and Internet-surfing and shopping and exercising and collecting and talking.  And all of them can become deadly substitutes for God. 

Discussion Questions

1. What does Paul mean to consider everything a loss?

2. Describe a time when you gave up something in order to gain something?

3. What are some “Rubbish” things in our life?

4. What dictates your life today?