Straightening Your Priorities Series

10 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. 11 If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.

You want to get in on the resurrection from the dead? Here’s the secret – all the stuff that seems so important in this life. Your money, your stuff, even your health – must be put in its proper priority underneath the greatness of knowing Jesus Christ.

Paul had had it all – and he said that once he discovered a true relationship with Jesus Christ – all those things that once seemed so important were no more useful or important to him than a pile of dung.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Glad Paul included these verses – gives us all hope!

v. 13-14 – reminds me of the manna – it wouldn’t stay good overnight. You needed it everyday. IN your spiritual journey you’ve got to press forward. I’ve heard it said you’re either growing or you’re falling back. There is no such thing as spiritual “hovering”.

Keep pressing on. Use the “whack a mole” method! When your priorities get out of whack – whack ‘em back into submission. Press on!

Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.

CONCLUSION:

In February 2001, John Oros spoke to an audience at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary about his experience as a church leader in Romania during the Communist era:

During communism, many of us preached…and people came at the end of a service, and they said, "I have decided to become a Christian."

We told them, "It is good that you want to become a Christian, but we would like to tell you that there is a price to be paid. Why don’t you reconsider what you want to do, because many things can happen to you. You can lose, and you can lose big."

A high percentage of these people chose to take part in a three-month catechism class. At the end of this period, many participants declared their desire to be baptized. Typically, I would respond, "It is really nice that you want to become a Christian, but when you give your testimony…there will be informers here who will jot down your name. Tomorrow the problems will start. Count the cost. Christianity is not easy. It’s not cheap. You can be demoted. You can lose your job. You can lose your friends. You can lose your neighbors. You can lose your kids who are climbing the social ladder. You can lose even your life."

Let me tell you my joy—when we looked into their eyes, and their eyes were in tears, and they told us, "If I lose everything but my personal relationship with my Lord Jesus Christ, it is still worth it."