More Christ Less Me

More Christ Less Me

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:8-11

Intro: Surprised to see an empty seat at the Super Bowl stadium,

a diehard fan remarked about it to a woman sitting nearby.

“It was my husband’s,” the woman explained, “But he died.”

“I’m very sorry,” said the man.

“Yet I’m really surprised that another relative, or friend,

didn’t jump at the chance to take the seat reserved for him.”

“Beats me,” she said. “They all insisted on going to the funeral.”

A husband and wife were attending a county fair where, for fifty dollars a person,

a man was giving rides in an helicopter.

The couple wanted to go up but they thought fifty dollars a person was too expensive

so they tried to negotiate a lower price.

“We’ll pay you fifty dollars for both of us,” they said to the pilot.

“After all, it takes the same amount of time and fuel for both of us as it does one of us.

The pilot refused to lower his fare, but he made a counter offer.

He suggested, “Pay me the full fifty dollars each, and I’ll take you up.

If you don’t say one word during the flight, I’ll give you all your money back.”

The couple agreed and got into the plane.

Up they went and the pilot proceeded to perform every trick he knew,

looping and whirling and flying upside down and lots more.

Finally, when the plane had landed,

the pilot said to the husband, “Congratulations! Here’s your money back; you didn’t say a single word.”

To which the man replied, "Nope, but you almost got me when my wife fell out.”

It seems these people have their priorities were a little skewed.

Philippians is one of thirteen books of the New Testament the Apostle Paul is given credit for writing.

Paul wrote letter to the churches, many of which he helped start.

He would travel and write letters to teach them how to continue to grow as believers

That is what Philippians is.

It is a letter to the church at Philippi.

Chapters one and two are letter thanking the church for helping him while he was in prison.

They are letters of encouragement.

Then the tone of the letter changes in chapter three.

The encouragement and rejoicing unexpectedly changes to a stern warning.

A problem was threatening the church at Philippi.

A problem which had the potential to shake the foundation of unity and joy of the church.

We are not told exactly what the problem was.

But Paul does give us the answer…,

the solution is that the church needs to have a goal of Christian growth

that is center more around Christ and His Kingdom

and less on the ambitions and wants of the individuals who are in the church at Philippi.

In other words Paul says, he has discovered the answer is “More Christ Less Me.”

Paul has considered everything he has accomplished in his life.

And he says, it is all worthless. It is all garbage when compared with the greatness of knowing Christ.

This is a very deep statement.

A persons relationship with Jesus Christ is more important than anything else.

To know Christ is the ultimate goal.

Everything we do must be to lead people to a place where they think about what they value the most in life and then show them that what you value the most is trash compared to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Paul said, I gave up everything to be a Christian.

Paul was a brought to the temple on the eighth day after his birth

and presented to the Priest according to the Law.

From his born a pure-blooded Jew.

He was from the tribe of Benjamin.

Some notable Bible descendants from the tribe of Benjamin are:

1. King Saul

2. Jonathan, son of Saul

3. Mordecai

4. Esther

5. Saul of Tarsus/Apostle Paul

If there ever was a real Jew Paul was one.

He was a Pharisee of Pharisees.

Being a Pharisee demanded the strictest obedience to the Old Testament Law.