GODISNOWHERE - Which is it? "God is nowhere" or "God is now here?" It's all in how you look at things, isn't it? That's why Paul says we need to develop the right perspective if we're going to get life right.
1. How to look at the world - vs. 1-7
The world has its ideas about success. But as one who has a personal connection with God, I must remember the ultimate example of true success is not found in the world, but in the example of Jesus Christ.
A. A prescription - v. 1
I can avoid buying into the world's flawed ideas of success if I keep my eyes on Jesus. I'm to find my absolute satisfaction in Him alone. This will safeguard me from buying into the world's false standards of success and guarantee my life is lived as God designed it to be lived.
A lady came to her pastor with a list of complaints about folks in the church. He filled a cup with water and asked her if she would do him to favor of walking around the church building three times, making sure she didn't spill a drop of water from the cup. After having done so, he asked what she had noticed. She replied, "I didn't notice anything, since I was focused on making sure no water spilled from the cup I was carrying." He replied, "That's the point. If you will turn your focus to Jesus and following Him, you won't have time to notice all the things you're complaining about."
As the hymn writer expressed it, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; und the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."
B. A description - vs. 2-7
1) The force at work behind the world's idea of success - vs. 2-3
The world's idea of success is determined from the opinions of men. That's what Paul means as he speaks of those who would have folks believe the way to live was to comply with the rituals associated with Judaism - especially circumcision.
"We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise." - 2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)
Whether the standard is religious or secular, the same is always true, the world's standards of success are determined by men. Consequently, they are always imperfect and fallible. There's only one unchanging standard of success - Jesus Christ. Glorying in Christ alone is the true mark of a child of God, not circumcision; and it's the only way to allow my personal connection with God to lead me to live life as I should.
Paul shows his disdain for those who presume to set standards of success for everyone else by calling them "dogs," a derogatory term in his day. He explains the reason for this disdain in the next verses.
2) The finding he made about the world's idea of success - vs. 4-7
Paul had bought into the world's idea of success. He had everything going for him the so-called "experts" said he should have to succeed.
a) His pedigree - v. 5a
You've heard someone say, "I wasn't born in Portales but I got here as soon as I could." Well, Paul could say, "I was already here."
b) His prestige - v. 5b
c) His passion - v. 6a
d) His practice - v. 6b
Paul was the guy everyone liked and everyone wanted to be like! Yet he found the standards he lived by to be nothing compared to the life Jesus offered! He says, "Hey, if you see a penny and a $100 bill lying on the ground, you don't pass up the $100 and pick up the penny!"
2. How to look at Christ - vs. 8-11
Christ must be our ultimate standard of success. We should set aside every desire other than having a life-changing knowledge of Him! Paul says Christ calls us to live a life described as a "resurrection from among the dead." The world is full of people who think they're living, when in reality, they aren't. But through Christ, we can live differently. God calls us to come out from among the dead and live as Jesus lived! The key is allowing my knowledge of Christ to make a difference in -
A. What I do - v. 9
By developing an intimate knowledge of Christ, I can do what's right in God's sight and insure my life counts for things of eternal significance.
B. How I do it - v. 10a
Through developing an intimate knowledge of Christ, I can learn how to appropriate His power for daily living - the same power by which He was raised from the dead.
C. Why I do it - v. 10b
Sharing in the fellowship of Christ's sufferings refers to my heart being in sync with His. I share Christ's passion for a lost world and live to make an eternal difference in the lives of those around me.
Living life as God directs, with the power He provides, for the purpose of making an eternal difference in the lives of others, is the successful life Jesus lived; and it's the successful life God calls us to. Not the "dead head" kind of pseudo-life the world points to as being successful.
It's through a relationship with Christ that life is made complete. Without that relationship, there's a void, a vacuum in life. Many people, even those who are well-known, have testified to that void.
H.G. Wells, the famous historian and philosopher, said at age 61: "I have no peace. All life is at the end of the tether."
The poet Byron said, "My days are in yellow leaf, the flowers and fruits of life are gone, the worm and the canker, and the grief are mine alone."
Literary genius, Henry David Thoreau said, "Most men live lives of quiet desperation."
Ralph Barton, a legendary cartoonists, left this note pinned to his pillow before taking his own life: "I have had few difficulties, many friends, great successes; I have gone from wife to wife, from house to house, visited great countries of the world, but I am fed up with inventing devices to fill up twenty-four hours of the day."
Contrast that with Paul's message: I can live with of purpose, power and passion through personal relationship and intimate fellowship with Christ.
"I want the whole Christ for my Savior, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission field." - John Wesley
3. How to look at myself - vs. 12-16
Paul's perspective on himself was: "I've not achieved perfection, but I'm headed in that direction."
This should be the attitude of every believer who considers himself mature. Each day I live, I must set the failures of the past behind me, set the promise of the future before me, and live according to what the Lord has taught me. This is my focus in life - this "one thing I do."
There is a story involving Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at that time was the chief power hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. The teams were playing in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his teammates on the one hand, and distract the Milwaukee batters on the other. As Aaron came to the plate, Yogi tried to distract him by saying, "Henry, you're holding the bat wrong. You're supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark." Aaron didn't say anything but when the next pitch came he hit it into the left field bleachers. After rounding the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Yogi Berra and said, "I didn't come up here to read."
God didn't design you to live the pseudo-life the world promotes. He has a higher purpose in mind. Focus on that. Pursue the successful life that comes from a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Conclusion: Note how Paul moves from considering whatever was gain to him as loss (v. 7), to regarding all things as loss (v. 8a), to suffering the loss of all things, regarding them all (present tense) as rubbish (8b)! Where are you in your perspective on the things of the world as opposed to the life God has planned for you?
"The Cry Of My Heart" by David Smith
Lead me, Lord I don’t know what to do. Lead me, Lord I don’t know where to turn. I want to step out of my comfort zone, But Father, I don’t want to jump then drown.
Lord, Give me strength to live. Lord, Give me strength to give. I want to give my all to you, a great sacrifice that’s overdue. I want to do something great, other than carrying dead weight.
I want to find myself, Lord, so that I can be something other than ignored. I pray that whatever I do, it will only be to glorify You. For Your glory, I want to live for Your glory, and keep You in my story.
If I'm going to experience true success in life and get from where I am to where I need to be, I must determine to turn my back on the world, and focus on an ever growing relationship with Jesus Christ!
