The Infinite Worth Of Christ: And Your Worth In Him

Have you ever ridden the Polar Express? One of the key attractions for the city of Owosso, Michigan is the North Pole express train, it’s a train known of across the country, even around the world, as the Christmas train. To ride the train brings back memories of a different time in our country. Trains often bring a sense of awe and mystery.

It brings to mind past memories I’m sure of earlier eras in American society. It brings to mind movies, and it brings to mind the spirit of Christmas.

Why is it so important? Why do people pay so much to ride the train? Because in their minds they’ve ascribed a high value to that experience.

They’ve decided in their mind and heart that it matters greatly to them, to do that.

Similarly, two of our bell ringers have been dressing up as the Grinch this year. And people also ascribe value to that as well, dozens of people have been very excited, wanting pictures with the Grinch around town, telling friends, and donating money just for the opportunity.

Again, why? They’ve ascribed in their mind value to that experience.

It’s very interesting to me, to observe as a pastor, a Christian, what people ascribe value to in society.

What I valued before I became a Christian was movies, videogames, parties, television, drinking, and I would get excited when I thought I might meet a pretty girl. I ascribed little to no value to things like faith, church, Jesus, the Bible, or Christmas.

But after becoming a Christian, what I value has completely flipped. Now I value Jesus and the Bible and attending church at the top of my list of what matters most in my life.

I changed what I ascribe value to in my life. And that will be our challenge for today I think, to begin to change what we value in life, to make sure it lines up with what God’s word says.

Recall our foundation scripture for God's entry into Earth: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.“ -John 1:14

That is what we want to ascribe value to in our minds and hearts, the fact that Jesus Christ came in human form, full of grace and truth.

We’re going to be exploring two broad concepts, worth and worship. So through the message we’re going to bounce between those two concepts, and what they mean for us as Christians.

What is your worth? Why do we struggle to value ourselves? And we’ll also see the danger of over-valuing ourselves.

Also, why do we struggle to ascribe proper value to Christ? A concluding theme is worship, and we’ll see how our view of the worth of Christ will be linked to our worship of Christ.

All of this I want to place on the backdrop of the visit of the magi to the new born Jesus, two thousand years ago.

What does it mean when we call something worthy? To answer this question I had to turn to a work by a man named Noah Webster, who felt God had called him to write a dictionary. When I question what a word means, I like to look at his original work, the 1828 Webster’s dictionary.

And for worthy we find this definition: WORTHY, adjective

1. Deserving; such as merits; having worth or excellence; equivalent; with of, before the thing deserved. She has married a man worthy of her.

2. Possessing worth or excellence of qualities; virtuous; estimable; as a worthy citizen; a worthy magistrate.

3. Suitable; having qualities suited to; either in a good or bad sense; equal in value; as flowers worthy of paradise.

4. Suitable to any thing bad.

5. Deserving of ill; as things worthy of stripes. Luke 12:48.

Point 1: Seeing your Worth

I need to allow myself to see my worth in Christ. That if I’ve put on Christ as Lord, as my savior, and I’ve been born again, I have great value in the sight of God. I have an identity rooted in Christ.

Can you see your own worth? For some of you that’s very easy. You see your worth. Many people see their worth and value. Sometimes too much. They think too highly of themselves. For you, keep that worth in check. Make sure it doesn’t become pride.

Some of you have a hard time seeing your own worth. You tend always view yourself as unworthy. Unworthy of God. Unworthy of love. Unworthy of even basic kindness from others. The world has taught you that you don’t have value. But the world lied to you.

And God speaks truth. Train yourself to read and reread the scriptures which speak of your value in Christ. Read those scriptures and embrace them saying yes, this is talking about me, I’m this in Christ.