Services | Knowing What’s Important

Bulletin

Hymn # 254 “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”
SCRIPTURE READING – Deuteronomy 33:26 - 28
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate

Praise and Worship
“Overcome” ​​
Raise a Hallelujah“”
“Behold the Lamb”


Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Knowing What’s Important”

PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“At the Cross (Love Ran Red)”

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Benediction “The Lord’s Prayer (It’s Yours)”


Acknowledgements and Announcements



Sermon Notes
Philippians 3:7 & 8 The loss of everything is counted gain when knowing Christ
Philippians 3:9 Not only knowing Christ but being found in Him
Philippians 3:10 A prayer that might know Him, power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death
Philippians 3:11 To obtain the resurrection of the dead

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

There was a man named Saul who was later his name changed was Paul wrote a letter to the church at Philippine and he said that he had great confidence in who he was and what he had accomplished. And yet he makes a very strange comparison to that. Great work that he had done and the significance of who he was. And that balance between that and having faith in Jesus. Come and listen to that startling comparison of what he thinks about that accomplishment that he had done versus his faith. If you have your. Bibles. Then you should turn to Philippians Chapter 3 and we're going to start with verse 7. Now while you're turning to that. Want you to. Understand that. We used to hear a lot about. Work life balance. And people wanting to make sure that that their work didn't so consumed them, that it totally occupied their their life and they tried to to do a balance and then today you hear a lot about quiet quitting.

So there's kind of less about balance and more about. Unbalance. Ohh is going to talk about something that we really don't ever consider. And that is life versus faith balance. Before in this chapter, which we don't have, Paul talks about who he was and what he accomplished. He said that he. Was from the tribe of Benjamin. Which made him. A person who was chosen by God. You have a whole different thinking when you know that God has chosen your people. To conduct. Is intervention. And he says that his parents. Circumcised him on the 8th day, so they followed. That he was. A Hebrews Hebrew not only was he acknowledging that he was chosen by God as a part of God's people, he goes. I was proud to be counted in that number that that I was there and I was never ashamed to be who I was. Who God made me. And then on top of that, he said. And according to the law that God gave the chosen people, not only did he follow it, he taught it because he was a Pharisee. Not only did it teach it, he lived it. And so Paul, very much was recounting his. Resume if you will, of the accomplishments and who he was and then he said it's too far azeal. I used to persecute the church and when I did persecute the church. I did it completely fully without hesitation. So when I put my hand to something, I didn't do it. With half measures. And Paul says that if anyone have confidence and in essence their resume, who they are and what they've done, he goes. I'll match them. I'm even better than them. So Paul didn't have any false sense of humility when it comes to that, he goes. This is who I was and who I am, of what I have accomplished.

And let's take a look at what you've done and what you've accomplished and all that good stuff. But then he's going to do something that is very stark, if you will. Because people who are achievers are proud of their achievement. People. Like to identify that they have value because of who they are so it. You know, many years ago now, not so much. It used to be a significant thing. To be a lawyer. Now lawyers are viewed as worse than used car salesman, but but there. But there are certain things. If you're a a. Rocket scientists. Or if you're a physicist or you have certain other titles and education. You have a certain opinion of yourself that you're smarter than everybody else, and other people will usually have an opinion that they're you're smarter than they are. All those. I'm gonna tell you. OK. I'm gonna take what I am in this life. I'm going to tell you how I compare it to. So in verse seven he says this, but whatever things were gained to me. Those things I have countered as lost for the sake of Christ. All those. I don't care what I have accomplished. I don't care who I am. I don't care who you consider to me that I consider as loss. For the sake of Christ. So he's saying. I'm going to give that up. For the sake of Jesus. Which then causes us to ask the question. What are we willing to give up? For the sake. Of Christ. Are we to give up that sense of accomplishment and who we are? And say the most important thing to me is Christ now. I understand people gotta work. They gotta put food on the table. So I'm not saying that you quit your job and whatever unless God calls you to quit your job. Then he will. Provide for you, but make sure it's God who's telling you to quit your job and not the fact that you don't want to go to work Monday. But there is that sense of. What is the most important thing to me? So for instance, you go, hey, I'm going to go to work Monday to provide for me and my family so that I can spend the rest of my time for the cause of Christ. And while I'm at work, I will still be looking at the cause of Christ. So whatever things you know, whatever race I get, that's wonderful. But my most important issue. I can't as lost. As long as I have the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be lost in view of this, of passing value, of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Now notice he goes. Even more than that, calling all things to be. Lost. Prepared to the. View of the surpassing value of knowing Christ. A whole lot of people know about Christ. They know he came to Earth, they know he was a good teacher. They know he was. A prophet. He.

He walked one. They know he was crucified. Even some know he rose from the dead. A lot of people know about Jesus. Because they don't know him. They know about him. Many, many years ago. When I wore ties more frequently. I used to wear about. 2. Kinds of ties. And did that for many years. And then. One day I went and bought a new suit. And bought a bunch of new ties. I brought him home. And Libby, my wife goes. Are you having a midlife crisis? Because that wasn't who she knew. The first thing she knew wore these two kinds of types of ties, and now I had these other types of ties, so there's got to be something going on. But she knew me. And that's the difference. She didn't know about me. She knew me and my taste and whatever. So something was different. We need to know Jesus. Not about him. And how do we know? Jesus, we read the scriptures. We pray, we meditate, we be in his presence so that we might know him. It's not good enough to know about him. There's a lot of people who even teach religious courses. On Jesus and about him. But they don't know him. When I was in. College. I took a New Testament class. A secondary college. It's interesting, taught by a Catholic priest. And I'm saying he I'm not saying he didn't know Jesus. I didn't even know about it and why do I say that? Because he would talk about when Jesus would heal people. He would say, well, he healed poverty and and addiction I'm going no, no. When the scripture says he cast out demons, he cast out demons. He didn't say here's 50 bucks. Register. You see, he. Diminished who Jesus is and was. So we need to know who he is. Not just about him. And so often we believers tend to get to the point where we know about him, that he's savior and he save my life. Isn't that wonderful? Now go do whatever. No, no, that's not knowing him. That's.

Only a part of who he is. More than that, I count all things be lost in the view of the surpassing value of knowing Jesus Christ. Again, they're surpassing value. There's more value in knowing Jesus than getting a raise and a promotion at work. Yeah, but it makes me feel good. Yeah, but those feelings are going to. Be short sighted. Those of you who at one point in your life were able to buy a new car. You were so proud of that new car. You washed it, and you waxed it and whatever. And then in a few days or a few weeks or a few months. That car was dirty. And you complained that you had to put oil in it. Has it it wore off. All understands the things of this world do not satisfy. They simply present an appetite that we never associated because but the surpassing value of knowing Jesus. Is so much more. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but rubbish, so that I might gain price. Now. Paul did lose a lot. He was a Pharisee. No longer a part of the Sanhedrin because he became a disciple. He was persecuted, he was imprisoned, he was shipwrecked, he was stoned and left for dead. And ultimately, if the. Traditions are right. He lost his head in his faith of Christ because I have suffered the loss of all things. And then my translation treats this a little more gently. Count all things but rubbish so that I may gain Christ. I think the. King James says dumb. Which is a little closer. So what I want you to understand is what he's saying here is I count all things as excrement as species. So that I might gain Christ. Wow, there is a difference between, well, this world has lost its hold on me because it's not that important to it's excrement. I want to know. Jesus and gain him. Talk about a life. Faith. Balance. Hossein, it doesn't matter how high you succeed in this life. It is nothing compared. To Jesus. And may be found in him. Notice that. Not just to know him. But to be found in him. That I am so baptized into Jesus that I am in him. And he and me. That when. And I used to push back. We used to people used to wear these bracelets. You know, what would Jesus do? And and I push back as I'm going. You shouldn't ask the question. You should already know. We. Should be so found in him that we are controlled by his teaching, that we are his disciples. To be found in him not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law. He's gone. I taught the law. I know the law. I can quote it chapter and verse. I was even proud of that. I was proud of being teacher of the law. But that's not where you find righteousness. You only find. Christ. But that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. So Paul being a Pharisee, could have said no. No, there are two paths. There's a path where you're so good that you can arrive at God, or you can have faith. Possibly none of the path of the law leads you nowhere. It's faith in Christ that leads you to him. That's how you go from not just knowing about him. But knowing him and being found in him, so it's on the basis of faith that I receive my righteousness. Which I'm so grateful that that's how God had, because they're. Moments Thursday, days moments when I'm really successful of being a good guy. Being righteous. And then in a few moments later. And not so much. But my righteousness. Is not in my doing or not doing. Is in my faith. In Christ. And understanding that I have been saved by grace, unmerited favor. And how do I know that? Because of faith. And then Paul. I call it a prayer. And I this is a prayer, even if it isn't. This is a prayer. I think you and I should pray. And that is this. That I may know him. That I may know him. And the situation is there are so many layers to who Jesus is.

Yes, he's savior. Yes. He's Lord. Yes. He's king. Yes. He's creator of the universe. Yes, he's the one who holds all things together. Yes. He sits at the right hand. Of. God, yes, he's the Lamb of God who. And we behold. Yes, he's the one who still has male scars in his hands. Yes, he is all of those things. And it will take us a lifetime and more just to know him. There's a joke. And you see it kind of like a picture. Where there's this. Book this large. And it's kind of partially open and it says. The book on how to know women is coming to paperback. And for us men, yeah, it seems it it's it's a book of incomprehensible. But knowing men or women is. Much less of challenge and takes less time. And to know Jesus. Because he's that rich. He's that deep and he's that. Much unlike you and me in our natural lives. So that I may know him. And the power of his resurrection. Now. We tend to thank the power of resurrection. So on the third day he rose from the grave, and that's wonderful. Yes it is. But did you know that when he rose on the third day that there were other dead people who rose also? And not only that, that if. I don't survive until it comes. That in the grave. Actually, my ashes out in the water. I'll be resurrected. And my loved ones will be resurrected and the people who are believers that I didn't like will be resurrected. And we will meet him. And see him face to face and we will have a body like his. The power of his resurrection, and not just his. But it is for all of us who believe. That I may know him and that power of his resurrection. So did you say you can do to me what you want? He has the ultimate say. You're going to raise me from the dead. And the fellowship of his sufferings. Again, when we suffer, if we suffer for the name of Christ, we oftentimes think woe is me. How terrible. But first the scriptures tell us that we are blessed when we are. Persecuted for his namesake. That there's blessings there and we are told that if they treated Jesus that way, how do we think that they will not treat us that way? Because these slave is not greater than the master? But there's another thing that we. Need to realize. When we suffer for and with somebody. When we suffer with somebody. We become closer to that person. I never fought in combat. But there are those. Who, as the movie title said, the band of brothers, there is a sense when you go through an ordeal of combat or it's life threatening that you are different. Going through that and the people around you are different and you creates an unbreakable bond. Between you because you suffered the same things and experienced them. My brother. Was drafted in in. He was fortunate he went to Germany during the Berlin crisis. And never. Thought whatever. But it was interesting even in those situations. Decades later, he would talk about and try to contact a friend in his platoon. Because they became friends and there was that bond there, that man went and seen a guy and like whatever who cares. But again there's that bond. And when we suffer for the name of Christ, there is an identity there that is different. So we are. Truly blessed when we suffer. If everything was wonderful and hunky Dory and perfect. We would never have the understanding of the fellowship that created in that suffering for him. So if we were really comparing the value of this world versus faith and belief in Christ, we would say let the sufferings come.

Because then I get to know him better and I get to understand the power of his resurrection better, and I get to understand him better because he suffered for me. And being conformed to his death. We love, except when it comes to us fairness. We're not everything to be fair. We want to get things that we deserve until we don't do until the things that we deserve we don't want. Then we want mercy and forgiveness and grace. But Jesus. Suffered. As an innocent man. Even pilot confessed that he found no guilt in Jesus. And yet Jesus continued to remain silent unless he needed to say something so that the father will might be carried out. He submitted to the father. In a cruel. And shameful. And painful. Form of death. We are kind of today. Antiseptic. No, there's discussion of whether there ought to be a death penalty or not, a death penalty. And you know, this isn't about politics. And we used to when we hung somebody. There'd be a picnic and everybody come. And they'd watch. And they did that for a couple of reasons. One, it was kind of entertainment unfortunately. And the other was to teach your kids if you do bad stuff, that's where you end up. Don't do bad stuff. So we use it as a form of teaching, but but those are grotesque and whatever.

Jesus didn't hang on a tree by his neck and being snapped. He suffered for hours. He suffered being mocked and ridiculed. And. Slapped. And flogged. And he took it all without one word of complaint, cause that's what the father required of him. Being conformed to his death says God, whatever your will, is for my life, even if it doesn't end up in wonderful people saying about how wonderful I am. But in a painful, shameful final ending. Then bring it on if it furthers your Kingdom. That I may know him and be conformed to his death. Why? In order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. See, Paul says. I can be this great guy. I can be at the epitome of my religion of my people and all of these things. As I constantly say, there is no you hold. Trailer behind a hearse. You take nothing with you. You don't even take your accolades. My grandson played in Montebello. And so it is. Very close to Rose Hills, so I went and paid respects to my parents. My father's grade. Stated his date of birth and his date of death and that he was in the 7th Infantry during World War One. And then my mother gave her name, her date of birth, her date death, and that she was a beloved wife. Mother and grandmother. It means something to me because she was. They were my father and mother. Wherever else, come across those graves, they probably walked on them because they mean nothing to me. Those words about service to the country. And love of family. Meant nothing to whoever. We passed by. And I don't care if you're the greatest physicist, astrophysicist. Billionaire. When they put you in the ground. You will soon be forgotten. You think I'm kidding? Most of this generation doesn't even know who George Washington is, and if it is, they didn't know that he fought in the Revolutionary War. They thought maybe it was in world. War 2 or something? The father of our country is being forgotten. You think people want to Remember Me and you? Not so much. But I know who will. On that last day, when the Trump of God sounds. And the Archangel will shout. And the dead in Christ will rise from the dead, and those of us who are alive and remain will be caught up in the air with them, and we will forever be with him. So let me tell you, is it worth spending all of our time to accomplish things that a previous passengers call as soap bubbles, which was kind of fun? Because it was. They were flimsy and then they pop and they'd be gone. Which was kind of a good illustration, but the scripture says no, it's excrement. All of these things that you accomplished, all of these wonderful things that you are. I can't use that word.

That's what an S ends with at. Excrement. As a surpassing value of knowing Jesus. Because these things are purely temporary, but his love. Is lasting forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever. Thus Christ. So love God the father, and so love you and me. That he. But hang on across for us. And maybe we should decide that we are going to spend our efforts. In essence, carrying our cross. And following him.

And all God's people said.