Introduction

Good morning, dear friends. We gather here today, not as strangers, but as a family united in Christ. We are here, not by chance, but by divine appointment. We are here, not for our own glory, but for the glory of God. We are here, not to seek worldly wisdom, but to seek the wisdom that comes from the Word of God.

As we prepare to open our hearts and minds to the message of God's Word, let us remember the words of the great Christian preacher, Charles Spurgeon who said, "Visit many good books, but live in the Bible." Today, we live in the Bible, and specifically, we live in the book of Philippians, chapter 3, verses 1-7.

In this passage, we see the apostle Paul, a man who had every reason to boast in his earthly achievements, yet he counted them as loss for the sake of Christ.

As we ponder on these words, let us ask ourselves: In what or in whom do we place our confidence? Is it in our achievements, our abilities, our wealth, or is it in Christ alone? Are we pursuing a life worthy of the gospel?

Paul's Perspective on Personal Gain

In the passage we read, we find Paul, a man who had every reason to boast in his earthly achievements. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee, a man who was blameless under the law. He was a man who had climbed the religious and social ladder of his time. Yet, he counted all these as loss for the sake of Christ.

Now, let's think about this for a moment. What does it mean to count something as loss? In the world's eyes, loss is something negative. It's something we try to avoid. We work hard to gain, not to lose. But Paul is saying that he counted his gains as loss. This is a radical shift in perspective.

Let's look at this from another angle. Imagine you're a successful business person. You've worked hard, you've climbed the corporate ladder, you've accumulated wealth and status. Then one day, you decide to give it all up. You decide that these things are not as valuable as you once thought. Instead, you decide to invest in something else, something that the world might see as foolish or worthless. That's what Paul did. He gave up his status, his achievements, his reputation, for the sake of Christ.

But why would Paul do this? Why would he give up everything he had worked so hard for? The answer is found in his relationship with Christ. Paul had encountered Christ on the road to Damascus, and that encounter had changed everything. He had come to know Christ, not just as a historical figure, but as a living, personal Savior. And these experiences had transformed his values and priorities.

Paul had come to realize that his earthly achievements were temporary and fleeting. They could not give him the lasting satisfaction and fulfillment that he found in Christ. He realized that his achievements, no matter how impressive they were, could not save him. Only Christ could do that. And so, he counted his gains as loss, because they were nothing compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.

This shift in perspective required a complete reorientation of his life. It required him to depend on Christ, to trust in His grace and mercy, to find his worth and identity in Him. We live in a world that values achievement, success, wealth, and status. We are constantly bombarded with messages that tell us that these are the things that matter, that these are the things that will give us worth and significance. But the truth is, these things are temporary and fleeting. They cannot give us the lasting satisfaction and fulfillment that we can find in Christ.

Placing Confidence in Christ Alone

As we continue to reflect on the words of Paul, we find ourselves drawn to the notion of confidence ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO