Your Love Awakens, We Give Thanks, Love of God, Build My Life medley to Holy Forever

What has been your source of joy lately?

7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

As Paul opens Philippians chapter 3, he says for the first time in his letter, “rejoice in the Lord” (Philippians 3:1). Our ultimate joy is found in Jesus alone (John 15:9-11). The secret is to LOVE JESUS ABOVE ALL! Paul talks from his perspective and experiences in loving God above all (descriptive teaching). However, we are also given a prescriptive teaching (a command, not a suggestion) about our attitude and how we ought to live (Philippians 3:15-16). To experience the fullness of joy that God has for us, we are to LOVE JESUS…

1. ABOVE ALL GAIN – Philippians 3:1-7

Paul gives a warning to us about people who distort God’s truth. They show their credentials, what they have accomplished — they put their confidence in the flesh. Paul gives his credentials as well (vv:4-6):

By sharing his credentials, Paul was setting it up so he could flip it and say that all those things that were seemingly “gains”, he counted as loss for the sake of Christ (v.7). For Paul, Jesus is of far greater worth than all his “gains”. Do our interests, accomplishments, and desires get in the way of our love for Jesus and what He leads us to do?

2. ABOVE ALL THINGS – Philippians 3:8-11

Paul talked about “profit” as being “loss” compared to knowing Jesus in the previous passage. Now, he expands this idea even more by saying that “all things” are “rubbish” and considers them as of no value compared to knowing (Gk. “gnosis,” personal knowledge) Jesus as Lord; it pales in comparison to an intimate relationship with Christ (v.8). Is there any other thing that we value that’s competing with our love for Jesus? A Christian is “all-in” for Christ! Knowing Jesus is loving Him above all things.

Paul also reminds us that we cannot get to know Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him by doing righteous acts to achieve righteousness (and be acceptable to God).  It is only through faith in Christ that we receive the righteousness that comes from God which enables us to know Jesus personally (v.9).  

We know that Paul suffered greatly as he followed Jesus. There are real costs to following Christ. Have you counted the cost, and are you committed to following Jesus? Chuck Swindoll said this: “Life isn’t learning a quick secret and then sitting in the stands, watch the game being played, secure in the knowledge of eternal life. Life is, in fact, a daily crushing. It’s an experience in the classroom of hardship. I’ve discovered that the way I grow closer to Christ in it all is by pressing on and hanging tough regardless”. When we love Jesus above all things, we get to watch God work! Does anything or anyone get in the way of our love for Jesus?

3. ABOVE OUR PAST– Philippians 3:12-21

Maybe there’s something in your past that constrains you from loving Jesus above all. It could be unforgiveness, hurt, the wounds that you need to let go of. Let God work, heal, and do amazing things in and through you. As Philip Yancey said, “Not to forgive imprisons me in the past, and it locks out all of the potential for change.” Are there other things in our past that get in the way of our love for and pursuit of Jesus? Maybe it is past guilt. Can you imagine Paul, who in his past held Stephen’s cloak as he approved and looked on as Stephen was stoned to death (as a witness for Christ)? If the guilt of the past is what’s holding you back, like Paul, “forgetting what lies behind” means that if you are in Christ Jesus, there’s no more condemnation, and you don’t have to carry that guilt and shame anymore because, in Christ Jesus, you can be healed and used by Him, and you can love Jesus above all (Romans 8:1).

Could it be that you’re stuck in the good things of the past, and you long for things to be back the way they were? God is saying to forget the former things and not dwell on them because as you watch Him work, God can do a new thing in your life (Isaiah 43:18-19). What is God asking you to do to make things right from your past?

Our message today is LOVE JESUS ABOVE ALL. We are to love Jesus above all “gain,” above all things, and above our past. So let us press on, like Paul (vv.12-14). This is an athletic term, and it’s a picture of a sprinter. Pressing on is an aggressive, energetic pursuit without any hesitation of what God wants you to do. Let the Lord know, “Jesus, I’m all yours. Use me”.

Pray for people around you who may know about Jesus but don’t truly know Him yet in a personal way.

Ask the Lord to show them what it means to love Him above all else through your example.

Share the gospel so that they may experience the fullness of joy as they get to know Jesus and live for Him.

• Worship God for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do in our lives.

• Upright and moral governance of public servants; repentance and salvation for government leaders and citizens for a Christ-centered Philippines.

• For legislators to promote and support bills and laws aligned with God’s Word.

• War in Ukraine to end, loss of lives prevented.

• Continue to pray for the rest of Israeli hostages to be restored back to their families safely. Pray for Israel and the war with terrorists to end according to God’s purpose and for His glory.

• For the civil war in Syria to end peacefully, protection for Christians and other minorities; that there will be freedom from oppression for Syrians. Pray for the gospel to spread rapidly throughout the country.

• Pray for the Sudanese people and the persecuted Christians there; earnestly seek God’s intervention to stop the bloodshed. Pray for freedom from oppression, that God’s word and His people bring them comfort and hope.

• That CCF Members would honor and love God and make disciples.

• Elders, pastors, dleaders, and families (holy, humble, harmonious, happy, heart-working).

• Ministries and churches expand worldwide.

• Worship and Training Center

• Prayer Mountain

• Deeper intimate relationship with God.

• Righteous living.

• Salvation of family and friends.

7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.