"Lose Your Mind"

The other day I was going downstairs and going to the wash room and forgot what I was going

down there for. I jumped up from watching a ballgame and ran to the refrigerator and opened it,

but I forgot what I went for.

I laid my coffee down and went on about my business and forgot where I put it.

I take my watch off and wake up and began looking for my watch can’t find it.

Now where did I put it. I wonder sometimes am I losing my mind.

You may think that is funny, however many people think you are losing your mind as well!

They can't believe you go to church as much as you go.

They can't believe you enjoy church. It's boring!

They can't believe you listen to a preacher who tells you how mean you are.

They can't believe you help maintain a building no one lives in.

They can't believe you give a tenth of your income to the church when you could use that extra

money to go on a trip.

They can't believe you furnish a preacher a house and pay him to scream at you every Sunday.

Are you losing your Mind? Praise God your losing your mind!!

Philippian 3:4-14

Paul tells us today in the scriptures that we should lose our mind and take on the mind of Christ.

1. In today’s text Paul is no doubt losing His mind consider all the accolades Paul has and yet in considers them as Loss. Paul had risen to every privilege that a Jew could enjoy, and had risen to every attainment to which a Jew could rise.

• 5circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

• Paul was a Pharisee, a zealous persecutor of the church and blameless (v. 6). who was a zealous defender of the law of Moses. He was "circumcised on the eighth day" of his life according to the law and grew up as an Israelite in the tribe of Benjamin, making him "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (v. 5).

• Vs. 7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ

• Paul considers his former way of life was worthless and despicable a complete loss

2. Is Paul losing His mind? Vs 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. No earthly honor, or preferment, no mortal achievement, no wealth, social standing or earthly glory would the great apostle exchange for the knowledge of Christ.

• When Paul stood before Fetus as he was on trial Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."

• Knowing Christ for Paul was not insane But was Illuminating

• Since I met Jesus on the road to Damascus I know There is a new fire living in my soul I had a zeal to persecute Christians now I have a zeal to convert all people.

• Since I met Jesus He changed me and I desire to change others

• Since I met Jesus he changed my mind and I now desire to change other minds as well

• Since I met Jesus I want to know more about Christ I want to know about the Power of his resurrection, I want to encounter his sufferings, . It was expected that every Christian should suffer as a result of his faith; indeed it was a proverb or "faithful saying" that "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him" (2 Timothy 2:12). 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, .

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3. I s Paul wanting to Lose his mind he says “He wants to forget things”

• Forgetting the things which are behind ... Paul was not one to live in the past. The past he properly appreciated; but his thoughts continued to dwell upon the future. The great prize still lay forward at the finish line.

4. Finally, Paul has really lost it he thought all that impressive education, honors, was basically worthless.

• He also thought that the most important thing in life was knowing more about a man named Jesus.

• He felt that forgetting the past was essential and forging towards another goal But his Goal is to press towards a prize of a heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on towards the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus