The Surpassing Greatness of Knowing Christ

Sermon. Carlisle Evangelical Free Church. Shad Baker.

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.

1. From Profit to Loss
- Paul's resume (v4-6)
-- reason to be proud according to human standards
- v7
-- actually held him back; tried achieving salvation by his own means
-- where's my identity and is it valuable? or is it an anchor that keeps me from pursuing Christ?
---anchors are anything that I hope in besides Christ

2. Comparison - v8
- scale: knowing Christ vs everything else
- knowing Christ surpasses the worth of all else
- look at myself and what I hope in with the proper perspective
-- does it last? is it perfect, grace-filled, loving?
- "knowing" = relational term

3. Garbage to Gold - v8
- "rubbish" = vulgar word, not used anywhere else in Bible
-- dung, sewage, shit (his religious identity, money, friends, etc)
-- throws it all out in order to know Christ
-- knowing Christ is so significant and life changing that it isn't truly a sacrifice
--- sacrifice is giving up something valuable but when set next to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, it doesn't seem so valuable
-- means Christ isn't simply an accessory to our life, he is life
--- can't follow Christ and money/pleasure/etc at the same time
---all of life for Christ and we worship that because nothing else is worthy

4. How do I know I am living all of life for Christ?
- worship
-- basing the whole of my life on him
- willing to give up everything in order to keep Christ
-- we might be sad to lose it but not devastated