“Dealing with Loss?"
Philippians 3:7-9
See Loss in Our view
See Loss as Christ’s Gain
See Loss in Christ’s View
We find ourselves in an interesting time in our churches history again.
We are losing for a season Sherrie, Becky and the kids, this after just losing David, Juliann and Wyatt, boy it would be easy to lose heart.
Yet God keeps giving me great expectation for this upcoming year, something that amidst what is happening might be difficult to explain apart from Christ and the "Hope" that He brings.
I know that Christ is in the midst of all these happenings.
Let’s look at our scripture and see what God desires for us…let’s listen and learn…
See Loss in Our View
Philip. 3:7-8 (NIV)
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. [8] What 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.
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss"
As basic man, we first consider ourselves and our profits or losses…
Jesus even asked those around Him to consider the cost…
Luke 14:16-33 (NIV)
Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. [17] At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ’Come, for everything is now ready.’
[18] "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ’I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
[19] "Another said, ’I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
[20] "Still another said, ’I just got married, so I can’t come.’
[21] "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ’Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
[22] " ’Sir,’ the servant said, ’what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
[23] "Then the master told his servant, ’Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. [24] I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ "
[25] Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: [26] "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. [27] And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
[28] "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? [29] For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, [30] saying, ’This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’
[31] "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? [32] If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. [33] In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
Right now we are considering the losses we have before us.
This is difficult for a small "pioneer" church on what more closely resembles a foreign mission field than one anywhere else in the United States.
It seems we gain some then we lose some and the cycle is even more visible here.
Two years ago we put forth a faith budget. We were blessed with many great testimonies of faith and growth and over 70 salvations in it’s first year.
We have seen some loss here but we have also witnessed a great deal of profits for God’s kingdom, we also need think of where and how these brothers and sisters who are leaving might benefit the Kingdom of God in other areas of this state and the world.
I see Sherrie and Becky’s move as one beneficial to God’s Kingdom in Southeast Alaska and look forward to reports of their great accomplishments for the cause of Christ within that region.
Can you count our loss against the gain for the cause of Christ?
[8] What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord
What a blessing it is to come to the point that I consider all things in relation to my relationship with Jesus.
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Mark 8:34
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
What losses can we possibly have in Christ?
See Loss as Christ’s Gain
Philip. 3:8 (NIV)
What 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. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Paul speaks of his past...
Think of all his friends among the Pharisees and Sadducees. It is thought that Paul may have been married prior to his accepting Jesus Christ that faithful day on the Damascus Road.
He probably was in line for a very high position among the Jewish Religious leadership.
He was already commanding Jewish Religious troops.
Yet all that he was, he considered but loss…
Paul uses the Greek word skubalon, skoo’-bal-on; a word translated in King James as dung. All that he was before knowing Christ became as "excrement" compared to the glory of knowing Christ Jesus.
What about you, are you trying to hang onto things that will not transfer to our heavenly home?
Paul used the word hegeomai, hay-geh’-om-ahee; meaning to continually count (PTV).
You see he continually counted (daily) everything loss other than the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ.
Do you see your losses against the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ?
“And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me” (Luke 5:27).
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it” (Luke 9:24).
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).
“And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting” (Luke 18:29-30).
See Loss in Christ’s View
Philip. 3:9
I consider them (dung) rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
What should we judge things by?
Again, I consider them (dung) rubbish
Paul didn’t consider his past worth the excrement from his body, compared to Christ.
What of you?
“Christ, the righteousness which is of God” (Phil. 3:9).
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30).
We call others to peace, love, hope and joy found in Christ Jesus alone.
Remember before we were in Christ we judged things by our selves and our past, but "truly" we should evaluate them in relation to Christ.
If He chooses to move someone-praise God. Let’s thank Him for the season of fellowship he allowed us and wish them the very best, commissioning them and sending them off to there new adventure in Christ Jesus.
When we come to Christ, things in our pass should be replaced by our desire to come closer to Him and draw people to Him.
So, we sadly say good bye to Sherrie and Becky our beloved co-laborers and continue to call others to Christ as we “Go ye therefore to all nations…”
