Rooted In Faith, Part 2.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Lord may our lives be lived in awe of your faithfulness [0:05] Or may we be overcome and overwhelmed by all that you have done all that you are capable of doing [0:12] All that you will do in light of the gospel of your son Jesus [0:18] Lord in that I pray that you would make us hopeful for our future [0:23] Or that you would make us hopeful for the work that you desire to do in us and through us [0:31] Lord every single person that calls you God

[0:36] You have a plan to grow them you have a plan to work through them [0:44] For my prayer is that we would be passionate about that plan

[0:51] Or be merciful to me a sinner [0:55] Help me to preach this morning in the name of Jesus I pray [0:59] Amen. Well, good morning. Welcome to Village Church. If this is your first time here [1:03] My name is Steve. I’m one of the pastors here at Village Church [1:05] And as always I am thankful and grateful to see each and every one of you this morning [1:10] If you have your Bible, we’re gonna be in Philippians chapter 3 today. We’re gonna be starting in verse 7

[1:17] What do you value? [1:19] I think that’s a that’s a question that every single one of us have to deal with in our lives because it’s not something that we [1:27] Find it’s not something that we look for we all kind of instinctively [1:32] Place the value of our life onto something or onto a number of things [1:38] The question that you really have to deal with is are you valuing the right things? [1:44] Naturally we tend to value a spouse we tend to value a child

[1:50] Sometimes if we’re really honest, we value power. We value fame [1:55] We value certain material possessions or we value [1:59] Finances and and the value in those things is seen by what we live for what we spend our time [2:07] What we spend our energy pursuing [2:10] Starting in verse 7 of Philippians chapter 3 the apostle is going to talk to us about the things that we value [2:17] And what he really tells us is the most valuable thing for our lives

[2:22] And he urges the reader to place value on that above absolutely [2:29] Everything else and somehow in placing value on that [2:34] We actually find the answer to how we can rid ourselves of selfish ambition [2:39] We find the answer to how we can reject [2:44] Conceit and how we can actually embrace the real [2:48] Humility that is seen by loving God and really loving others

[2:55] And he’s going to tell us very interesting thing is that if you want those actions to be true of you [3:01] It’s going to emerge from that which you find the most valuable in this life and in this world [3:11] You see in Philippians 3 Paul has already warned us about putting our confidence in the flesh and he instead [3:19] Instructs us to put all of our confidence in who Jesus is and what Jesus has done [3:25] And it’s only in that that he’s going to produce the life that we were designed to live for it is only [3:31] God that can create

[3:34] real [3:35] value in our lives [3:37] But once we have that redemption that only God can give we will find that God offers to us the greatest life [3:45] possible with the most value because he puts into our lives that which is of [3:51] Absolute great value in this world and it is something that many people will completely miss out on and something that probably many [3:58] Of you are missing out on and that is the value of knowing Christ

[4:03] It’s not going to be knowing about Christ. It’s not going to be those baseball card facts [4:09] That tell us every little detail about him. Those are vital [4:13] But it’s actually going to be and knowing who he is [4:18] because there’s a big difference between knowing about a person and [4:23] Knowing a person with your very life [4:27] It’s the number one this morning jumping right into it to know Christ is to know his worth

[4:32] And so the opposite of that is true and that if you don’t know the worth of Christ friend [4:37] I tell you you don’t know Christ [4:39] The Apostle begins talking to us in verse 7 and he says whatever gain I had I counted his loss [4:47] For the sake of Christ [4:50] Indeed I count everything as lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [4:56] For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things

[5:00] More than that I count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ

[5:07] and [5:07] Be found in him not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law [5:12] But that which comes through faith in Christ the righteousness from God that depends on faith [5:19] That I may know him in the power of his resurrection and share in his sufferings [5:24] Becoming like him in his death that by any means possible [5:29] I may attain the resurrection from the dead

[5:34] You know the Apostle goes to great detail throughout this chapter of Romans to say a great number of [5:42] provocative things [5:43] He tells us a great number of things that we aren’t quite used to him saying he’s talking about attaining [5:50] He’s talking about value he’s talking about placing your life into the right [5:55] Situation so that you can actually have a life that counts and he tells you that the only way that you’re going to have [6:03] A life that counts for anything in this world is if you gain that which is of

[6:09] Innumerable value that which he says is of surpassing [6:13] Worth this is the only way for you to have real value and the only way for you to know what really matters in this [6:19] Is if you know two things first he says I need to know Christ [6:23] He says I need to know the surpassing word of [6:28] Simply having a relationship with Jesus Christ, but he doesn’t stop there [6:31] He goes on to say that you also need to know the power of Christ

[6:38] He says you need to know the power of the resurrection of Christ in [6:44] Verses four through six of this same chapter the apostle tells us all of the things that he has valued in his life [6:53] He was a man who had the right birth [6:56] There was someone that was of privilege. It was Paul. He was born to the right family [7:01] He was born to the right ethnicity. He was born to the right people [7:07] And so he had the right birth

[7:08] But he also had the right life he had not squandered the privilege [7:14] No, he had actually taken advantage of every privilege that he had ever had you ever seen somebody that [7:20] Squandered their privilege look like a person that should have it all. I mean they were born to the right parents [7:27] They went to the right school [7:28] They had every opportunity and you swear that if you had had those opportunities you’d be a success [7:33] But you’re not a success because you didn’t have those opportunities

[7:35] But then you look at that person that had those opportunities and they’re a failure does that ever amaze you [7:41] Sometimes I see the opportunities that some people have and and I just say my goodness they squandered it all [7:47] They squandered every opportunity that they ever had. Well, the Apostle tells us he says I never squandered my opportunities [7:54] He said I had the right life, but not only that but the right doors [8:01] Were open to me he said I took advantage of who I was I took advantage of where I was from [8:06] I took advantage of all of the opportunities the doors that were open to me and then he says also had the right finances I

[8:16] Never hurt for anything also had the right power

[8:20] Because I was important people had to listen to me people had to do what I told them to do [8:27] But he also had the right fame [8:30] It’s very popular in our culture to just be famous for the sake of being famous [8:36] Every person that’s famous for the sake of being famous is an absolute idiot. Do you ever noticed that? [8:43] They have no redeemable values in their lives from the world standards [8:47] When they’re famous why because they’re so famous

[8:51] That’s how you know, you’re actually deep down inside hollow [8:56] And so for many young people well, that’s the dream that you have on Instagram [9:00] That’s the dream that you have on YouTube and I would say throw that dream away and get one that counts [9:04] Those are not good opportunities. If you’re Instagram famous, you are also Instagram a loser [9:12] Then the Apostle Paul he makes this great statement. He says I [9:18] Counted is how he really sums it up

[9:20] When it came to the world if you put the Apostle Paul in a room [9:25] He says I was the one that had a life that counted in that room according to everything that you would put on [9:33] Paper my life counted but then he makes this very fascinating statement when he moves into verses 7 & 8 [9:41] He says everything that you would look at in my life that says that I mattered [9:46] According to the world standards. It says I look back now and I see it as a total loss. I [9:54] See my birth didn’t matter

[9:58] My tutelage didn’t matter [10:00] The right doors being open to me ultimately they didn’t matter. He no longer had any of those things [10:08] At this point in the Apostle’s life everything that he had pointed to, you know, he’d lost it all [10:13] And there were probably a lot of people look at him and they pity them [10:17] And said man there goes the guy that had it all and he lost it [10:20] But he looks back at that attitude and he says and I’m glad

[10:24] Because if the Apostle had never lost those things [10:28] He would have never known Christ [10:31] And he says because of the surpassing worth of Jesus Christ [10:36] I look at those things and I count them as lost [10:41] He’s not saying I have lost those things. He looks at them and he says if you have [10:47] Those things you’re the one that is actually losing

[10:52] Because those things stand as a barrier to [10:56] What is of actual worth? [11:00] You see why would he say such a thing? [11:03] Why would he look at the glories of this world the things that I’ll be honest with you if [11:09] We were in that culture. We would have wanted them and we would have gladly accepted those things [11:14] Why would the Apostle look at those things and say there are lost was he a stoic?

[11:19] Was he someone that said if it feels good, I don’t want it [11:23] If it makes me have good things in life. I don’t want it was the Apostle opposed [11:31] To pleasure and I would say no

[11:35] The reason that the Apostle counts those as lost is because I found something of surpassing worth [11:42] What he’s saying is I found something better. I [11:49] Have found something that has given me more [11:52] More value rather he says I have found something that makes those other things that you would look at and say are so wonderful [12:00] He says I’ve found something that makes those things look completely worthless because he uses two different terms [12:07] He says first I counted them as lost

[12:11] He says that’s past tense [12:13] So it was a time in my life where I counted them as gain [12:15] But then there came a day where I looked back and I said those things are of loss [12:19] But then he goes on and he uses the present tense [12:21] He says and I count them as lost what he’s saying there’s I have no regrets [12:26] For anything that I have lost. It’s a present reality. And why would he say that?

[12:33] Because he is willing to lose one thing in order to gain a better thing [12:41] Many of you have a problem in your life [12:44] Better things are available to you [12:48] Better things are within your reach [12:51] Better things are within your grasp [12:53] But you are unwilling to lose

[12:57] What you have right now in order to gain what is better [13:02] You are so enamored with mediocrity [13:07] That you can’t let go of it for greatness [13:10] You can’t risk it for something that is actually better than what you currently have [13:17] And what is the Apostle Paul saying here is better than all of that?

[13:22] Knowing Christ [13:24] That’s an audacious statement. That is a bold statement [13:28] This is the same man that elsewhere in the scriptures in Acts 20 24. He says I actually count my life of [13:35] No value and he’s literally meaning the air that I breathe I do not count that as valuable [13:42] Except that I may use that life to make Christ known to others as the Apostle doesn’t just look at a career [13:51] As something that he’s willing to lose

[13:53] He doesn’t just look at his power and his fame and his monetary gain as something that he would lose for Christ [13:59] No [13:59] The Apostle goes so far as to actually say I would rather give up my own life [14:07] Than to not know the surpassing worth of Jesus Christ [14:11] This is better to be dead because life isn’t as valuable as Christ [14:17] That will change your view

[14:20] That will change your perspective see in Acts chapter 9 [14:24] We see this record of crying of the Apostle Paul coming to Christ he was in Acts 9 [14:31] chasing his version of [14:35] value [14:36] He was chasing game [14:38] So it wasn’t that the Apostle had lost things and then you know the old statement of you know

[14:44] What you lost everything and then you found religion. How convenient is that?

[14:50] Now this isn’t that story at all [14:53] The Apostle had all of it [14:56] He never lost any of it, and he literally came to a place in his life [15:01] He came to a place in the road where he was confronted [15:05] By the greatness of Jesus Christ he was confronted by the Lordship of Jesus Christ himself [15:11] And the Apostle said that is of more value than everything I have ever attained

[15:16] That is of more value than everything that I have I will forsake everything in order to gain Christ [15:21] Did you know that you have to sacrifice something to know the greatness of Christ?

[15:30] And some of you are being held back from the greatest life that you could ever know [15:34] You’re being held back from the surpassing worth of Jesus Christ [15:38] Simply because you can’t imagine having to sacrifice anything in your life

[15:47] Paul’s [15:47] appraisal of [15:49] His former life without Christ is completely negative [15:52] and he expresses a very important component of [15:57] What salvation and what finding salvation really is here in Philippians chapter 3? [16:03] No one

[16:05] can choose Christ [16:07] Who does not reach a similarly negative? [16:12] Conclusion about his own efforts towards what greatness in life really looks like [16:18] You can’t do it [16:19] See some of you believe a lie [16:22] You believe that you found Christ, but you sacrifice nothing for him. You believe that you can have two competing

[16:30] Versions and appraisals of what value really is and I tell you you don’t know Christ [16:37] Because you’ve not yet seen his worth and [16:41] Matthew chapter 13 Jesus himself tells an amazing [16:46] parable [16:46] That really strikes at value and it can be very confusing unless you look at it in the terms of value [16:53] He says the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field a man actually found the treasure and what was his response?

[17:00] He actually recovered the treasure and then in his joy [17:03] He goes and sells all that he has and he bought the whole field

[17:09] This man found a treasure of great gain [17:12] And he said I need everything connected to that treasure [17:16] I don’t want anything in my life to risk that treasure [17:21] He’s so in my joy [17:24] I got a rid myself of everything that could ever [17:28] Compete with that treasure of having value in my life because that treasure is so good and you say oh

[17:34] So to get the treasure he had to sell everything that he had no the text doesn’t tell us that the text tells us that [17:41] Actually, he was so overwhelmed in joy

[17:46] Because he said the treasure is better than anything that I have so why would I waste my time on what I’ve got [17:54] Now everything that he had ever gained in his life everything that he had ever earned it paled so much in [17:59] Comparison to the treasure that he found he says why am I gonna waste my time? [18:04] preserving all of that worthlessness

[18:08] She says I want this treasure and I want the field that the treasures in and then I’m just going to spend my life [18:14] Enjoying that treasure [18:16] See what Jesus is getting at is what you see as value and Jesus is actually talking about himself [18:25] Because the kingdom of heaven is completely wrapped up in who Jesus is and what Jesus is worth [18:31] He is the greatest treasure you can find because you recover the life of God in your own life [18:39] Friend you have counted other things as the Lord of your life

[18:43] You have [18:46] Anything that you think adds value to your life anything that you think you can’t live without anything that you think is [18:53] Necessary for your life to be happy for your life to have joy that is a Lord to you

[19:01] And Jesus says he says I’m the Lord

[19:05] Is I’m the one of value [19:07] I’m the one that satisfies [19:10] Jesus says I am the one that gives you value and anything that competes with Jesus is so meaningless [19:17] Sacrifice it because it’s keeping you from God [19:22] He expresses Paul does the meaninglessness of everything in this list. Why?

[19:31] [19:32] Because there’s thing you need to understand about Paul’s life [19:35] everything that the Apostle lists in verses 4 through 6 [19:38] Prevented him from knowing Jesus as Lord

[19:45] Because it stood in the way [19:48] So he says it is all garbage

[19:54] My birthright garbage Hebrew Hebrews [20:01] My ethnicity garbage

[20:06] My power garbage [20:08] My education garbage my money garbage [20:13] Because every one of those things [20:15] Prevented him from thing none of those things brought him to faith in Jesus not a single one of them a [20:24] Lot of you you think that your life is determined by who you were born to [20:29] You think your life is determined by where you were born

[20:34] Garbage [20:36] Who you were born to where you were born how you were born who you were born none of it says anything [20:42] None of its worth anything because a lot of times who you were born to and what you were born [20:49] Prevents you from knowing the greatness of Jesus and it will not do one thing to bring you to faith in Jesus [20:56] And Paul says if it doesn’t bring me to faith in Jesus, what good was it to me? Anyway sacrifice it

[21:04] You think your power is what defines you [21:07] You think a few people having to do what you say when you say it you think ah

[21:14] significance I [21:14] have influence [21:17] And Paul begs the question he says does your influence bring you to faith in Jesus [21:23] Did it bring you one step closer to knowing who Jesus was did it bring you one step closer to growing in your relationship with Jesus Christ

[21:32] Garbage [21:33] It’s not worth anything is actually it’s a it’s a harmful thing if it doesn’t bring you to faith in Jesus Christ [21:39] None of it brought him to faith if you treasure Jesus you will see him of high value [21:48] You will know that everything else looks like garbage if it doesn’t magnify the worth of Jesus [21:54] And so I ask you a very important question for you to deal with today is Jesus better

[22:01] Is he better? [22:03] And you can put anything after that question is he better than what listen is he better than that to you is he better [22:10] Than being a parent to you

[22:13] Is he better than your spouse [22:17] Is he better than your kids is he better than your house is he better than your job is he better than your career is [22:22] He better than your education is he better than your ethnicity is he better

[22:31] Because if He isn’t, then you don’t know Him. [22:37] And He is literally going to tell you, sacrifice that which stands between you and knowing [22:46] Jesus. [22:47] So how do you get that life? [22:48] Number two, righteousness depends on faith. [22:52] Righteousness depends on faith.

[22:55] You know, the amazing thing is that the glory of the treasure of Christ is a gift. [23:02] God never had to give Himself to us. [23:05] God did not owe it to us. [23:07] And everything that He wants to give us is rooted in faith. [23:12] And that is the amazing distinction of Christianity. [23:16] Because most of us, and most religion will tell you that worth is earned.

[23:22] It will tell you, you have to be great to get great. [23:27] And Christianity tells us the polar opposite. [23:30] It says that worth is given as a gift through Jesus. [23:35] Number one, Jesus alone is worthy. [23:38] But also, He alone does the work. [23:41] He is both the treasure and He is the one who earns the treasure.

[23:48] Everything is wrapped up in Jesus. [23:50] I mean, in order to treasure Christ, you know what the hardest thing to get over in order [23:55] to treasure Christ is? [23:57] The hardest thing for many of you to get over is what you think you’re worth.

[24:04] It’s what you think you’re worth. [24:07] In the modern day self-esteem movement, we’re taught that the greatest thing that you can [24:10] do for a person is make them understand that they are worth the world. [24:15] No, you’re not. [24:18] No, you’re not. [24:18] Most of you could walk away and nobody would notice.

[24:22] Let’s just be honest here. [24:24] Let’s just be honest. [24:26] The only way for you to find real worth in this world is for you to find Jesus Christ. [24:32] Because He alone is worthy. [24:34] If you know Jesus, you know His worth. [24:35] If you don’t know His worth, you don’t know Him.

[24:38] You were created for God. [24:41] You were created to live a life that shows God’s might, that shows God’s power, that [24:46] shows God’s ability, and that shows God’s glory. [24:49] That is what everyone is looking for. [24:51] You may label it differently, but that’s what you’re looking for. [24:54] But we turn it around and we try to show the world our worth.

[24:58] We try to show the world our ability. [25:00] We try to show the world our smarts. [25:02] We try to show the world our glory. [25:06] And God says, stop that. [25:09] That’s not what you were created to do. [25:11] You were created to both find those things in God and show that those things are true

[25:16] about God, not about you. [25:19] Because He alone has done the worth. [25:22] To have worth, you must be found, what does the text tell us? [25:26] In Christ. [25:28] Verse 9 tells us. [25:30] It tells us, oh, to be found in Him.

[25:35] See, nothing you have ever chased is ever going to earn you value. [25:39] Did you know that? [25:42] Not a single thing. [25:43] Now, you may disagree with me. [25:44] You say, oh, man, I’ve chased it and I’ve had success and I’ve had power. [25:47] That’s utterly meaningless in the realm of eternity.

[25:51] Because the reason that’s true is you will never have as much worth as God. [25:56] That’s why it’s futile, this chasing of gain in this world. [26:02] Because you can never have more gain than God because God made this world.

[26:07] You say, oh, I want the whole world. [26:08] Well, God made the whole world. [26:10] So He’s got value, infinity. [26:14] And you can never have more value than Him. [26:17] And so it’s ultimately a waste of time. [26:20] But God says, you can have the thing of most value if you will have faith in God.

[26:28] Christianity is the only religion that tells you that if you just believe God is telling the truth, [26:32] you will have more value than you can ever exhaust in eternity. [26:37] That’s what faith is. [26:38] Faith is believing that God is telling the truth. [26:41] And that being right is believing Him. [26:47] You know, saving faith, though, involves more than an intellectual assent.

[26:53] It’s more than just saying, I believe it’s true. [26:56] It’s then submitting to that truth. [26:58] It is submitting to the lordship of Jesus Christ. [27:02] It is surrendering to not just saying, I believe it’s true, [27:06] but I believe that the entire world is formed by that truth. [27:12] Faith in the gospel is trust in the lordship of the reign of Jesus.

[27:16] Here’s how Ephesians chapter two puts it. [27:18] It says, by grace you’ve been saved through faith. [27:20] This is not your own doing. [27:22] It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

[27:29] The treasure is a gift, but the key is found in the last line. [27:34] That’s where the value is, so that no one may boast. [27:40] You see, the life that you need is one in which God is the center. [27:44] If you could earn it, you could boast about it.

[27:51] And we’re really good at that. [27:54] Because if it was about your ability, you could boast about it. [27:58] But it is the gift of God. [28:00] Why? [28:00] So that God gets the boast. [28:05] God refuses to share the boast.

[28:08] Do you want to be right? [28:09] I mean, everybody does. [28:11] Nobody says, man, you know what, really, I love being wrong all the time. [28:18] No, that’s a crazy way of thinking. [28:20] If that’s the way that you think, get help.

[28:23] Every argument that I have ever heard or had is about being right. [28:31] That is what righteousness is. [28:32] At the simplest definition, that’s what righteousness is. [28:35] It is about being right. [28:37] And what the apostle is informing us of here is that this is what it actually looks like to be right. [28:43] Why? Because God is the rightest right.

[28:47] God is never wrong. [28:49] He’s the only fully righteous one. [28:53] Have you ever been wrong? [28:55] See, the arrogant would say, no. [28:58] I was once in a conversation with a young man. [29:02] And he said, you know, the problem with the people that I’m leading is that, here’s the deal.

[29:09] This is going to sound a little bit arrogant, but I am right 99.9% of the time. [29:15] And I responded, I said, no, actually, that’s not a little arrogant. [29:19] That’s just the definition of arrogance, bro. [29:21] And that might be why you’re having some leadership problems.

[29:25] Is that we want to be right. [29:26] But even if we’re right 99.9% of the time, you see, what does that leave room for?

[29:33] 0.1%. [29:34] God would never say he’s right 99.9% of the time.

[29:39] You know how much God’s right? 100% of the time. [29:42] God has never been wrong. [29:44] And therefore, he is the rightest of right. [29:47] He has no wrong in him. [29:49] And so if you want pure righteousness, the apostle Paul’s telling us in verse 9 is, you must be found in Jesus. [29:59] Because Jesus alone is always right.

[30:03] He’s just not having a righteousness of my own. [30:06] Why? Because I don’t have pure righteousness on my own. [30:10] No matter what you fight for, no matter what you earn, everybody finds a place in their life, no matter how successful they are. [30:18] They say, did I make the right choice?

[30:22] Did I do the right things? [30:25] Because you’re not certain are you? [30:28] I mean, you are brought decisions to be made every single day. [30:34] And you’re going to struggle with that one thought, did I make the right choice? [30:40] If you’re a parent, you ask yourself that question 70,000 times a day. [30:45] At minimum.

[30:47] That’s a good day. [30:49] I mean, you look at these kids and you’re like, I am forming them. [30:53] Everyone finds religion in that moment. [30:56] Oh, God, help me. [30:58] If I do the wrong thing, I could ruin a life.

[31:03] And so in that moment, you know what you’re coming face to face with? [31:08] You’re coming face to face with your unrighteousness. [31:12] See, a lot of times we like to define unrighteousness as some immoral act that we do. [31:17] Yeah, you’ve got that. [31:18] Trust me. [31:20] But more than that, I think our unrighteousness can simply be seen in our day to day decision making.

[31:26] Because we all struggle with the one question, am I making the right choices? [31:32] God has never asked himself that question.

[31:37] God has never said, am I making the right choice? [31:39] No, if God makes the choice, it’s right. [31:43] Every single time. [31:44] And here’s the key. [31:45] I believe you want that in your life.

[31:49] I believe that that’s what you’re chasing.

[31:52] Every moment of exhausting your energy. [31:55] Every moment of exhausting your effort is because you are chasing righteousness. [32:00] You are chasing the very thing that God wants to gift into your life simply by virtue of knowing him. [32:10] But here’s the key. [32:10] Number three, you won’t experience the power of God until you pursue the process of God. [32:16] You won’t experience the power of God until you pursue the process of God.

[32:22] Here’s what the apostle says starting in verse 10. [32:24] He says, I want to know him. [32:26] I want to know Christ. [32:27] But what comes along with knowing Christ? [32:29] Well, if you know Christ, I also want to know the power of his resurrection. [32:34] Then he says something crazy.

[32:36] He says that I may share in his suffering. [32:38] What could have done without that part? [32:41] Becoming like him in his death, it just got worse. [32:44] That by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead. [32:48] And here the apostle again, he’s challenging our notion of value and worth. [32:54] He’s challenging our notion of what it looks like to be right.

[32:59] And he’s telling you, do you want to know Christ? [33:02] It’s going to require great sacrifice. [33:04] And that’s what he means by sufferings. [33:07] See, because everybody wants the resurrection from the dead, but nobody wants the dead.

[33:13] Everybody wants the power of the resurrection, but nobody wants the cross.

[33:18] And what the apostle is telling us here, he’s saying Jesus couldn’t have resurrected from the dead if he hadn’t died on that cross.

[33:25] He’s saying, do you want to know the power of resurrection? [33:29] Then you also need to know the sacrifice of loss.

[33:34] I counted as loss. [33:36] I count as loss. [33:39] The cross was great loss.

[33:44] But he did it because of the joy of what was on the other side of that loss. [33:49] Resurrection.

[33:52] See, many of you can’t imagine the power of God because you refuse to experience the joy of loss.

[34:02] You are so afraid of losing anything that you have in your life. [34:06] You are so afraid of losing a relationship. [34:10] You are so afraid of losing a position. [34:13] You are so afraid of losing an ability. [34:16] You are so afraid of losing time.

[34:21] That you will never know the power of resurrection. [34:26] You will never know it. [34:28] You see, Paul moves on to apply the experience of the treasure. [34:31] And he says, what is the life of a Christian going to look like? [34:36] Well, it’s going to look like following Jesus. [34:39] It’s going to look like the path that Jesus took that ultimately revealed his power.

[34:45] I mean, if you think about the resurrection, it was an event of cosmic proportions. [34:50] The law of life was undone because everyone dies. [34:56] Everyone, every single one of us, we are going to die. [34:59] But the thing about death is that it tends to stick.

[35:05] It tends to not let go of its grasp on you. [35:09] But Jesus undid that. [35:11] He had the most valuable power to ever be possessed. [35:15] He has the power of resurrection. [35:17] He lives, though he died. [35:20] You see, Paul notes that knowing Christ is about knowing the power of resurrection.

[35:24] But to know that power, you must pursue the process of life that God lays out. [35:30] And it is not an easy path. [35:33] It is a path that is marked with suffering. [35:37] That is an interesting term. [35:40] Because if you want the resurrection, friend, you have to stop avoiding sacrifice.

[35:48] I mean, some of you, do you remember Barry Sanders? [35:50] He was amazing, probably the greatest running back that has ever played in the NFL. [35:56] I mean, you watch videos of Barry Sanders running. [36:01] I mean, I’ve never seen anybody just spin and jump and avoid people. [36:06] I mean, there’s just giant men trying to lunge and tackle him. [36:11] And sometimes, he would look at, oh, they’ve got him.

[36:13] And he’d just wiggle free and keep running.

[36:17] That’s how some of you treat sacrifice.

[36:21] Oh, sacrifice is coming. [36:23] Whoop! Whoop! [36:25] Look how good I am at avoiding that sacrifice. [36:27] Spinneroony!

[36:29] I can’t actually do it right now. [36:31] Physically ill.

[36:34] But the key is an understanding that you will never know the power of God. [36:40] As long as you avoid sacrifice in your life. [36:42] And you think you’re using wisdom by avoiding sacrifice. [36:48] But it is that very choice of avoiding sacrifice that is preventing you from experiencing what greatness actually looks like. [36:59] Because if you want the power of God experienced in your life, you will have to endure deep sacrifice. [37:06] In Luke chapter 9, Jesus told us this.

[37:08] It wasn’t that Jesus conned us. [37:11] And he’s like, oh my goodness, he raises from the dead and gets us to follow him. [37:14] And he tricked me into not realizing the great sacrifice was coming. [37:18] No, Jesus Christ himself told us in Luke 9, starting in 24, whoever would lose, excuse me, would save his life, he’s got to lose it.

[37:27] Because do you want to be saved? [37:30] Then you’ve got to lose. [37:33] But understand that whoever loses his life for my sake, he’s going to save it. [37:37] And he’s very specific, he qualifies. [37:39] He says, he’s not telling you to be a loser.

[37:43] He says, you’ve got to lose it for his sake. [37:47] It’s got to be about Jesus. [37:48] And if it’s about Jesus, what are you going to do? [37:50] You’re going to save your life. [37:52] You will never actually lose anything. [37:54] Because then he goes on and he says, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

[38:03] He tells us you’ve got to lose your life in order to save your life. [38:09] He does just a couple of verses later. [38:10] He says, if you want to come after me, you have to take up your cross, deny yourself and follow me. [38:16] He says, what are you doing across? [38:17] You die on a cross. [38:18] You got to die.

[38:22] The very things that are overwhelming your life are the very things that are preventing you from actually exhibiting the faith to be righteous. [38:29] You know, faith causes you to risk. [38:32] Faith will cause you to risk everything. [38:35] When people say they want to grow in their faith, sometimes I don’t think they know what they’re asking. [38:39] Because you’re not faithful and you’re not growing in your faith until you learn what it means to risk. [38:46] Because faith in Jesus Christ will cause you to step out and risk everything.

[38:50] And it’s all wrapped up in what your definition of a hopeful future is. [38:56] For some of you, your hopeful future is wrapped up in everything that you have right now. [39:01] Not losing any of it, but it getting better as you get older. [39:06] That’s not faith. [39:08] Because that’s the life that you made. [39:10] Faith is going to cause you to risk all of that.

[39:13] Because it defines Jesus and growing in him of being of more worth. [39:18] And so you will risk your relationships if you have faith in Jesus Christ. [39:21] You’ll do some things that will risk your relationships. [39:23] You will risk your finances if you have faith in Jesus Christ. [39:26] He’s going to call you to do that. [39:27] If you don’t think he’s going to do that, he’s going to do that.

[39:29] And if you’ve never risked your finances for the sake of Christ, you’re not going to have as much faith in Christ as somebody who’s willing to do that. [39:36] You’ll risk your career. [39:38] You’ll risk your family. [39:41] You will risk your stability.

[39:44] Faith in Jesus will cause you to risk everything. [39:46] And here’s the thing that many of you, you just can’t wrap your mind around. [39:51] It is only the people who risk that ever really grow.

[40:01] And you’re wondering, why am I not growing?

[40:05] Why am I not growing?

[40:09] Because your treasure is something other than Jesus Christ.

[40:15] You’re unwilling to risk what you have in order to treasure Christ more.

[40:23] Some of you are so overwhelmed by the life that you have that you don’t think you have anything left for God.

[40:33] I mean, you’re looking at life. [40:33] I mean, you’re overwhelmed. [40:35] And I understand why you’re overwhelmed. [40:36] I mean, you’ve got a lot going on. [40:38] I’m not being sarcastic here. [40:41] You’ve got a lot going on.

[40:43] And you’re so overwhelmed by it that you don’t think you have anything left to give God. [40:47] And here’s the question. [40:48] Is Jesus your treasure?

[40:51] I don’t think he is.

[40:54] I think the thing’s overwhelming you or your treasure.

[40:58] Why are other things coming in front of God’s call for you to rest in him, for you to follow him, for you to have peace in him? [41:08] Why can’t you commit to consistent discipleship?

[41:13] The only thing that’s consistent about you is your inconsistency. [41:16] Am I right? [41:18] You’re consistently inconsistent. [41:21] You’re inconsistent on when you show up. [41:23] You’re inconsistent on when you can be depended on. [41:25] You’re inconsistent on when you’ll serve Jesus.

[41:27] You’re inconsistent on when you’ll show up to talk about Jesus. [41:30] You’re inconsistent on when you’ll show up to learn about Jesus. [41:33] You’re just overwhelmed by inconsistency. [41:35] And it’s not that you don’t have reasons for your inconsistency. [41:37] I mean, you do. [41:39] You’ve got a lot of them.

[41:40] But here’s the key. [41:41] Those reasons for inconsistency, Jesus is literally telling you, lay them down.

[41:48] Sacrifice them. [41:50] Because they’re standing in the way of you growing in Jesus Christ. [41:55] I mean, can you sacrifice? [41:58] Everyone is so busy. [42:01] I mean, I ask people all the time, hey, man, what you been up to? [42:04] Oh, busy.

[42:06] I mean, I’ve said it myself, because I am. [42:08] But the question you must take inventory is this. [42:11] Are you busy due to the surpassing worth of Christ?

[42:20] Or are you busy because of the surpassing worth of something else?

[42:27] That’s what you need to deal with in your life. [42:30] Because when you put your faith in Jesus, you aren’t believing for what comes after this life. [42:37] I want you to understand that. [42:38] When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you are believing that only He can give you real gain in this life. [42:46] Why? [42:46] Because He is the King over this world.

[42:51] He reigns. [42:52] For the follower of Christ, He’s ruling and He’s reigning. [42:56] Right now. [42:56] He is the King of this world. [42:59] He is the Lord over everything right now. [43:03] Do you trust Jesus is what will give you gain?

[43:07] Some of you don’t. [43:10] You see, when you start thinking about what is real gain in your life, and if Jesus is what gives you real gain, [43:17] the question that you’ve got to understand follows that is, where is your life showing that He is the greatest gain that you have in your life?

[43:28] The greatest thing that the apostle tells us in this passage is that self-denial is not about a less than life.

[43:37] It is about stepping into the future under the reign of a new King.

[43:44] You see, King Jesus has a design for you, and it is walking by faith. [43:49] It is believing that He is real treasure, that He is real power, that He is real life, and that He is real joy. [44:00] You see, friend, you will have to sacrifice lesser things. [44:05] But you should know what that is like. [44:08] Every choice for something is a choice against something else. [44:12] You see, you will have to sacrifice lesser commitments.

[44:17] Stop being so overwhelmed by commitments that don’t help you know Christ more. [44:21] You will have to sacrifice lesser ventures. [44:24] Stop chasing things that don’t bring you to faith in Jesus Christ. [44:29] But you will step into a life, and here’s what faith tells you. [44:35] You will step into a life of unparalleled greatness.

[44:42] Do you want greatness? [44:44] It’s only going to be found in Jesus, and it will cost you. [44:50] But the return is glory.

[44:55] As we transition right now into a time of communion,

[45:00] the communion table is this amazing thing that shows real value, [45:07] because it changes what we say power is all about. [45:13] The bread represents His broken body. [45:15] The cup represents His shed blood. [45:19] His body was broken, and it was shed, and God said, success.

[45:25] His success came at great cost, but He endured the pain. [45:33] He endured the sacrifice, because He looked on the other side of that, [45:38] and what did He see? Resurrection. [45:42] Power. Real joy. [45:46] And God says, it’s available for you. [45:49] It’s a gift. It’s of grace.

[45:52] Nothing you can do to earn it.

[45:56] But choosing Jesus means choosing Him over something else. [46:01] Every single time it does.

[46:04] For some of you, you don’t know Him. [46:09] Friend, today is the day where you can know the greatest treasure [46:13] that won’t just last you through this life, it will last you through eternity. [46:17] Forever. [46:18] And that’s the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ, [46:22] knowing Him, and knowing the power of His resurrection.

[46:25] Friend, today, if that’s you, I invite you to place your faith in Jesus Christ. [46:29] Turn from everything else that you’ve counted as ultimate worth, [46:32] everything else that you’ve counted as value, and know Christ today. [46:37] Choose Him today. [46:38] If a treasure is available to you of surpassing worth, why would you wait one more day? [46:45] Why would you wait one more minute?

[46:47] Choose Him today.

[46:51] For others of you, you know Christ.

[46:55] But you’re still holding on to some things. [46:57] You’re still chasing some things that are preventing you from knowing Christ more.

[47:04] The communion table is for people that know Him. [47:08] When you come today and you eat and drink, I hope that you will pray, [47:13] God, give me the faith to sacrifice those lesser things [47:18] so that I can use my energy to pursue you. [47:23] When you’re ready, come.