WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.040 Thanks for checking out this podcast from Carterville Christian Church. 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:04.160 We're so glad you're here. 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:09.679 Our hope is that through these messages you'll grow deeper in your faith and experience the life-changing hope of Jesus. 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:12.320 Now let's jump into this week's teaching. 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:14.640 Well, good morning, C3. 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:16.480 Good to be with you this morning. 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:19.920 Happy Mother's Day to all the moms and grandmothers out there. 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:23.280 Can we just give it up for our moms in the room right now? 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:25.440 Grandmothers of the room. 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:30.399 And we really do love you, appreciate you, really, really are just so thankful for you. 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:35.439 Many of you are in here this morning because mom literally dragged you here this morning, you know? 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:38.159 Like you're coming with me to church, and we're so thankful that you're here. 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:50.240 And in a much more real sense, like many of you are here sitting in this room and are sitting in this room week to week because your mom dragged you over and over and over again and made it a priority, made it a habit for you. 00:00:50.399 --> 00:01:00.320 And then we we I don't think we'll see on this side of heaven just the amount of impact that that mothers and mother figures have had in our lives and in the kingdom. 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:01.759 And so thankful for you. 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:07.599 Uh again, I think it's already been mentioned or will be mentioned, but moms, make sure you stand or stop by the atrium. 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:11.280 We'd love to just give you a little a little gift and say, we we love you. 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:13.439 Hope you feel celebrated well today. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:17.760 We're continuing this study that we've been in through the through the book of Philippians. 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:19.200 Uh, we're gonna be in chapter three. 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:23.040 If you if you have your Bibles or you have your scripture journals this morning, uh go ahead and turn there. 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:28.000 What we've seen so far is that Paul has been like radically changed by the gospel. 00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:31.760 If you know anything about Paul, know anything about the Bible, then you probably know this to be true. 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:37.840 He's been radically changed by the gospel in such a way that everything is different, everything is changed for him, everything's different. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:43.200 The gospel isn't just a cherry on top for Paul's life, it is everything to him. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:54.879 And as a result, he's been urging the church in Philippi, and he's been urging us as well through his writing that we would give more weight to the gospel, that we would really give it the appropriate weight in our lives. 00:01:55.040 --> 00:02:04.959 There's a question that uh Michael DeFazio asks in his next Ozark Christian College next level study when it comes to this text in particular, and I think it's worth us kind of meditating on. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:16.000 So I want to just give you this question right now to start start our time, and I I want you to I want to urge you not to rush into an answer for it, but I want you to meditate on it as we're as we're going throughout this time. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:22.719 It's this question Do you believe life with Jesus is better than life without him? 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:24.879 And if so, why? 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:31.759 Again, I want you just to just kind of reflect on that question and think about that as we as we go through our time this morning. 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:33.919 Philippians chapter 3, verse 1 says this. 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:36.639 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:41.280 To write the same same things to you is no trouble for me and is safe for you. 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:44.560 Paul starts off in this in this way in Philippians chapter 3. 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:47.199 That seems like he's wrapping up his letter in a bit. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:56.319 Like it seems like he's landing the plane, it seems like he's bringing everything to a close, and he's still harping on this same message, this message of joy, of rejoicing in the Lord. 00:02:56.400 --> 00:03:02.080 Like our joy is found in him and in his gospel and what he has done, and he's still writing about these same things. 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:05.520 But then Paul's tone abruptly shifts here. 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:10.080 It's kind of like I don't know if you've been in a conversation or if you have somebody in your life that you immediately think of. 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:14.080 Whenever you get into a conversation with them and you can't get out of it. 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:15.520 Anybody been there before? 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:17.759 I was there at a graduation party yesterday. 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:23.039 I was stuck in a conversation with a man that I met that day and then could not get out of it, right? 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:24.400 Okay, like that happens sometimes. 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:32.000 You get in a conversation like that, or you get in a conversation, you know, you accidentally open the door because you thought it was your neighbor, but it's a salesperson, right? 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:35.680 And then they say something along the lines of, while I've got you here, you know what I'm saying? 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:39.599 Like it's and then you know the conversation's about to double in length, at least. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:41.840 You know, like it's just gonna get way longer. 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:47.120 And you can tell Paul's a preacher here because he says finally, and he's halfway through his message. 00:03:47.199 --> 00:03:47.919 You know what I'm saying? 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:49.360 Like that's this is what's happening. 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:58.879 And here's what I want to do for the rest of our time this morning is just kind of walk through verse by verse a little bit and see what Paul's trying to tell us, see what he's trying to communicate in these 11 verses right here. 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:05.759 What we're gonna see is we're gonna see Paul's warning, and we're gonna see Paul's garbage, and we're gonna see Paul's treasure. 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:08.240 Look with me first, Paul's warning in verses two and three. 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:21.519 It says, Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh, for we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh. 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:29.439 It's interesting in this passage because Paul is calling out a problem that is like nowhere else in the book of Philippians. 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:35.199 Like he's not, he's not, that he's not mentioning this problem as to be present in this church anywhere else. 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:39.839 It's almost as if Paul's addressing a problem that's not yet present in the Philippian church. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:45.360 That's a that's a potential, that he's addressing something that's not happening, but he knows it's happening elsewhere. 00:04:45.439 --> 00:05:03.759 You know, Paul's well traveled and he has planted a lot of churches and he's heard a lot of stories and he's and he's gotten reports from a lot of different people about what might be happening here, and it seems to be the problem that that Paul's addressing here is hey, watch out for the people that are infiltrating your church that are saying you need to earn your way to heaven. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:05.839 You need to earn your own salvation. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:08.240 Like you're only saved by your good works. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:13.920 Like he's a he's addressing it using these three words, and he kind of uses these three words almost like tongue in cheek. 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:18.480 Like he's almost like he's on on the attack here when he says, watch out for the dogs. 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:32.639 The dogs were like, it's not like, you know, 21st century uh United States, like how we how we treat our dogs here, you know, like that they're like basically uh extra family members, you know, they're gonna be buried next to us in our in our graves and stuff. 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:34.319 You know, it's not it's not that level. 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:38.079 The dogs were the lowest of the low, like the scum, the scum of the earth. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:41.439 There were there was like nothing, nothing more unclean. 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:52.319 And a lot of times those inside the church who were so concerned with their good deeds would refer to those outside the church, those sinners, as dogs. 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:56.800 And so Paul is flipping this on his head and said, Hey, I'm not talking about those outside the church. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:04.879 The threat's not outside the church, the threat is inside the church, those who are trying to say, you earn your way to salvation, you earn your way to God because of your good work. 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:05.839 Watch out for them. 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:07.600 He says, Watch out for the evildoers. 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:25.360 Because of Paul's understanding of grace, he's saying that those who point to these works of the law as righteousness, he's like, like they are they are the ones who are actually doing evil, pulling people away from the heart of God, pulling people away from his grace, like they are they are the evil workers. 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:28.000 And then he says, watch out for those mutilators of the flesh. 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:37.279 What we don't see in our text in English is what Paul's doing in the original language that he's writing in in Greek, because he's actually doing a play on words. 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:41.680 The Greek word for mutilation and circumcision like sound the same. 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:46.079 They're very, they're very similar, but they carried completely different connotation. 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:53.680 Like these people that would have been like works-based righteousness people inside the church, they would have called themselves the circumcision. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:54.800 We are the circumcision. 00:06:54.879 --> 00:06:58.560 Like we are the ones who are set apart, who are called like called by God. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:00.079 We're the descendants of Abraham. 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:04.399 We are like the true Hebrew people, like we are the true Jews here. 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:10.000 And he's calling them out and saying, You call yourself the circumcision, but you're actually just mutilating the flesh. 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:12.079 Like it's not an act of worship at all. 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:21.680 And what Paul's really getting down to is as he gives this warning, he says, Hey, look out for those who heap this burden of the law on top of your head in order that you may be right before God. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:26.000 Like to say, this is necessary for you to be loved by God. 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:29.600 Look out for those who practice the law but haven't submitted their heart to it. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:34.319 Like, look out for those who are circumcised in the flesh and not circumcised in the heart. 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:43.040 Look out for those whose ultimate confidence is in who they themselves are and what they themselves have done. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:45.279 Like, watch out for those people. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:48.399 And it's interesting, Paul goes on a tangent as he often does. 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:53.360 It's like Paul's anticipating a response from those people that he's calling out. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:57.120 As he goes into this next verse, he's he's anticipating their rebuttal. 00:07:57.279 --> 00:07:58.720 Yeah, but you don't understand it, Paul. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:00.399 Like, we are better than them. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:05.199 Like it seems like that's what he's what he's getting ready to answer, and this is what he does. 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:09.199 And in verses four through six, he talks about this is Paul's garbage. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:11.120 Paul's garbage right here in four through six. 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:18.560 He says, Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also, if anyone thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:32.159 And listen to this list circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, as to the law, a Pharisee, as to zeal, a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.120 There's these seven different things that Paul lists out here. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:38.879 And like four, the first four are all kind of like his by birth. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:39.840 You see what he says. 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:41.360 He says circumcised on the eighteenth. 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:42.799 This was the on the eighth day. 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:45.360 This is the this is the true Jewish way. 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:47.919 This is what was commanded to Abraham. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:50.399 This is what was passed down from generation to generation. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:51.840 This is how they were to do things. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:55.039 He says, I'm from the people of Israel, the race of Israel. 00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:56.559 This is my, these are my people. 00:08:56.639 --> 00:09:02.720 I'm from the tribe of Benjamin, the one tribe that remained loyal to Judah whenever they split, ten and two. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:05.840 And the first king of was from the tribe of Benjamin. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:10.639 Actually, that's probably where Paul originally got his name, was from King Saul. 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:13.840 That's what that was his name before he came to encounter the Lord. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:20.320 I bet in the tribe of Benjamin there's a lot of little Sauls running around because they were pretty proud of this first king that was from their tribe. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:22.480 And then he says, a Hebrew of Hebrews. 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:25.600 Like I have real, authentic Hebrew parents. 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:28.399 I'm not like this half-blooded Hebrew. 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:32.159 I'm I'm not scattered, I'm I'm true-blooded, I'm a Hebrew. 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:40.960 And then all these things by his birthright, and then he starts moving into like all these other things he could boast in that are really all about what he has done, what he has earned. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:44.399 He says, as to the law, I'm a Pharisee, I'm a separated one. 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:47.440 I've been through all of those tests and that education. 00:09:47.679 --> 00:09:58.639 I've done all the right things to be included in these groups of people, as to zeal, like one of these like highest virtues of a Jew following in Jesus' day. 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:00.080 I'm a persecutor of the church. 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:03.519 Like I can't, there's not very many people who are more zealous than I was. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:07.120 And then he says, as to righteousness under the law, I'm blameless. 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:11.840 Like even whenever I've sinned, I've gone through all the right processes to be made pure again. 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:13.440 I'm blameless and I'm pure. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:22.399 Paul, Paul's boasting, it comes from a this combination of things that he was born into and things that he has worked hard for. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:27.120 And Paul's like sharing kind of his testimony here to the Philippian church. 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:35.679 He's sharing his testimony, but not as a way to brag, but as a way to say, hey, I understand the temptation that you're facing. 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:38.159 And here's the temptation I think that we all face. 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:40.399 The world has a lot to offer. 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:43.600 I don't need to tell you that. 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:46.480 The world has a lot to offer you. 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:50.559 And the question is, like, is it is it really enough? 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:52.960 Is it really enough? 00:10:53.759 --> 00:11:00.320 I mean, I so I guess we gotta we have to look at ourselves here and we have to ask this question like, what am I tempted to put my confidence in? 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:02.879 What am I tempted to boast in? 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:04.879 What am I tempted to cling to? 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:11.120 Like, similar similar to Paul, we could we could boast in or we could find our confidence in things that we were born into. 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:11.600 Right? 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:15.200 We could be like just boasting in uh our our country. 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:17.600 I'm I'm the biggest patriot that there is, right? 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:20.799 Like I am I'm love love for God and country, right? 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:22.639 Or we could boast in our community, right? 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:25.120 I I ble I bleed baby blue, right? 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:27.519 If I'm if I'm a web city person, right? 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:29.679 I bleed royal blue if I'm a Carthage person. 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:30.240 You know what I'm saying? 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:34.320 Like we could boast in our community, or we could boast in our family, you know, in our upbringing. 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:39.279 We could, and similar to Paul, we could put confidence in the things that we have worked hard for, right? 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:48.320 Our achievements and our jobs and our success and our possessions or things, or even like trips or experiences, or our education or our awards, whatever, whatever the case may be. 00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:50.559 And here's the temptation that Paul is getting at. 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:54.159 If we're honest with ourselves, we need to be confronted with this temptation. 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:56.799 We need to we need to have this shown to us. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:02.799 Hey, the world has a lot to offer, and sometimes we're content with what the world has to offer. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:05.120 Like sometimes that's what it comes down to. 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:06.000 I'm I'm fine. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:08.799 Like I'm my life feels pretty good. 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:13.200 Like just with what the world has given me, I feel pretty good right now, you know? 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:15.519 Like I and here's the here's the thing. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:20.879 I even if it's for a moment, what the world has to offer is pretty good. 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:23.919 Then we're going off the rails. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:32.080 I don't know if you found yourself in that in a spot where it's like, man, my like my family's just kind of in a sweet spot right now. 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:33.919 Like everybody enjoys being together. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:36.639 Like this is kind of nice, you know? 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:41.200 Or my job, like I finally feel like I'm in a groove and a good groove in my job. 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:43.519 Like this, this feels good right now. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:50.000 Or you know, I'm finally like building up that savings account, and uh it's it's nice to have that security. 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:52.159 It's nice to have that that with me. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:13:02.000 And even if it's just for a split second, even if it's just for a moment, that we would rather have the things of this world than we're then we're going wrong. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:05.279 That it should be warning signs going off in our minds. 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:09.919 I was talking to a man in our church this week and he shared this quote with me that was convicting. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:11.360 I don't know if it's gonna be convicting for you. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:15.840 He says, Do we irgend eagerly long for the coming of Christ? 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:21.279 Or do we want him to wait while our love affair with the world runs its course? 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:25.519 That's the question that tests the authenticity of our faith. 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:27.759 Man, yeah. 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:31.360 Like, do you want Jesus, can you just wait? 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:33.519 Like, I I feel it feels really good. 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:37.840 What the season that I'm in right now, can you just wait a little bit longer before you return? 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:40.879 Like, I feel like I got something good going here. 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:43.120 Can you just hold on for a second? 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:51.440 Or, like, do we have this longing for Christ that that, like everything else, doesn't satisfy? 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:53.679 Because that's what Paul has. 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:56.639 Or are we kind of okay with what we have? 00:13:56.960 --> 00:13:58.559 With what the world has offered. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:08.159 Like, this is Paul's response, Paul's response to all these things, which are not small things, by the way, that Paul's that Paul's listing out here, all the seven boasts, like they're not small things. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:11.039 He says, All of the gains I count as loss. 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:13.039 Like it's an economic term, right? 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:18.960 Like they would all seem to be gaining interest and gaining gaining profit for me, but they're all a loss when it all comes down to it. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:23.840 He says, indeed, I count everything as a loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:27.919 I count it all as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:32.240 That word rubbish is it carries the meaning of garbage or dung. 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:36.559 It's actually like a slang, a slang term for animal excrement. 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:37.519 Right? 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:40.480 Like, and so like Paul is reaching for a word. 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:42.320 This is the only time it's used in the New Testament. 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:51.120 Paul's reaching for a word to describe just how bad what the best the world has to offer is in comparison to what Jesus has to offer us. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:56.960 It makes me think of um years of taking students to CIY Move. 00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:05.679 We go to CIY Move, and sometimes we go to Colorado, sometimes we go to Tennessee, and we we the lot for the last several years we've been taking charter buses, we've been chartering buses to go. 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:08.879 Um it's just a safer option for us to be able to do that. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:15.120 And we've rented charter buses, and every year we tell the students, hey, the bathrooms at the back of the bus are emergency only, okay? 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:17.600 Like we're not using those on the regular. 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:19.200 You're not using those 10 minutes in. 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:23.039 We're not even out of Missouri yet, and you're still trying to use the bathroom. 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.159 We're stopping every four hours. 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:25.120 You can hold it, you know? 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:34.080 Like, anyways, and the reason there's a reason for this, and it's because one year a student on this trip, you know, typical high schooler, thought it was a good idea. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:35.600 Why wouldn't you? 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:42.240 Thought it was a good idea to chug a monster energy drink and a half gallon of sweet tea in the back of that bus, you know? 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:43.039 Why wouldn't you? 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:46.480 You know, that's a great idea whenever you're a freshman in high school. 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:49.360 And, you know, as you know, like that's not gonna stay down for him. 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:50.960 This is an emergency situation, right? 00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:53.360 So he used the bathroom, of course, right? 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:58.320 Another student on that same trip had an emergency situation, had to use the bathroom. 00:15:58.559 --> 00:15:59.600 Wasn't very pretty. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:02.960 There was an aroma making its way through the bus, okay? 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:06.320 I'm not trying to be gross, but I need you to understand this, right? 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:13.519 They made a nice, a nice aroma, you can imagine what it is, and that's not even like scratching the surface of what Paul's getting at. 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:19.279 Because actually, what happened was uh like the bus company came back to pick us up for our extended rec day. 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:28.799 They have like an extended rec day on like the fourth day of move, and they came back, and what the bus company had neglected to do was to empty the waste from that from that bathroom. 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:37.360 So it had been roasting for four days in the sun of Colorado, and it became more and more pungent as the four days passed. 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:41.600 And when you stepped onto that bus, it was like you got hit by a wall, you know what I'm saying? 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:43.600 Of the nastiest smell you could ever think. 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:47.120 And Axe Body Spray covers a multitude of smells, but not that. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:48.480 Didn't touch it, you know? 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:49.679 Didn't touch it. 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:55.039 This is what Paul is comparing even the best things of this life to. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:00.639 He's saying, even what the best that the world has to offer is like that. 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:06.000 It's like this this dung, this garbage, it's rubbish. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:12.240 What good is it for any man to gain the whole world and yet forfeit his soul? 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:15.759 And all else is garbage in comparison. 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:18.480 The question is, in comparison to what? 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:22.559 And that's what Paul's treasure is all about. 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:24.720 Read with me in verses 7 through 11. 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:28.400 But whatever I gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:35.440 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:18:03.119 For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I count them as rubbish, in order 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 comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, that I may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:10.000 See, Paul right here is he's passionate, and I think he's putting into words what Jesus talks about when he talks about the kingdom of heaven. 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:13.359 When he says the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:22.000 And a man found it and he covered it up, and then in his joy he went and he sold everything else, and he came back back and purchased that field. 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:26.240 Paul's confidence comes from knowing Christ personally. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:28.000 Like this is his treasure. 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:30.319 Do you notice how personal this text is? 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:33.519 Do you notice how like it's so personal to Paul right here? 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:42.559 He says, I count everything I gained for the loss as a loss for the sake of Christ, the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ, my Lord. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:44.559 Like I want to know him. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:50.240 This might be the most personal passage that Paul has that we have recorded in our in our Bibles. 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:51.279 He's convinced of this. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:53.440 He's found this one treasure in the field. 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:56.400 And it isn't, it's it's not that nothing else is important. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:59.920 He's saying everything else pales in comparison to this. 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:02.000 I found what is most important. 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:08.799 And it is this it is knowing Christ, it's having a personal relationship with him, it is everything to me. 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:12.799 And you can see this personal encounter, what it has done for Paul. 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:15.519 It's done a couple things, it's given him perspective. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:21.200 We've already talked about this back in chapter one, when he says, no matter what happens to me, to live is Christ, to die is gained. 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:21.519 Right? 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:26.400 No matter what comes my way, like this joy that comes from knowing Christ gives us perspective. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:28.559 No matter what circumstances may come our way. 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:31.039 Paul has suffered the loss of all things. 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:33.759 And he says, it's all rubbish, anyways. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:36.720 Like all these things that I've lost, they're all earthly things. 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:38.000 They're all gonna pass away. 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:38.400 Right? 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:41.599 I count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ himself. 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:48.400 He says, like, I hope that I may be able to share in the sufferings of Christ, is what he says in verse in verse 10. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:51.359 And that word share is the same word he's used a couple other times. 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:53.599 It's this word partner, the word koinonia. 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:57.759 I hope that I may like share and partner with Christ in this suffering. 00:19:57.920 --> 00:20:04.160 Paul has this perspective because his treasure is in knowing Christ personally. 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:06.240 His treasure is all found in him. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:16.000 So here's the deal: like if this is you, and I don't know what you're facing right now, but if Christ is your treasure, then whatever you're facing right now, you can get through it. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:27.119 Because he is your strength, because he is your peace, because he is your life, because he is your source of joy, he is your strength and your fortress, like he is everything to you. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:30.400 If he's your treasure, you can get through what you're facing right now. 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:36.319 But Paul, his personal relationship with Jesus also brought him righteousness. 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:37.759 Do you see this in verse 9? 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:43.200 He says, I want to be found in him, not having this righteousness that comes from my own, what he's already been talking about. 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:55.680 Not this righteousness that's built on my own good deeds, but a righteousness that doesn't come from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. 00:20:55.920 --> 00:21:06.720 It's not a righteousness that's that's based on his own performance because he knows, like all of us know, what Isaiah says, that our righteous acts are like filthy, dirty rags. 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:08.640 Like we cannot earn our way. 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:12.720 We need something better, we need someone better to represent us. 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:14.640 And that's exactly what Christ has done. 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:20.240 Like a righteousness that comes from Christ is based on his obedience on our behalf. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:31.039 Like, and when we place our faith in him and in his perfect life, in his spotless sacrifice by the blood of the perfect one, you and I are declared righteous. 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:40.079 And Paul says, this is what matters more than anything else to me, is knowing him personally, having his perspective, and gaining his righteousness. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:46.160 And I think what it comes down to is Paul understands this simple equation, this very simple equation that we need to understand. 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:49.519 Everything minus Jesus equals nothing. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:53.200 Like I it doesn't matter if I gain everything this world has to offer. 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:55.119 If I don't have Jesus, I have nothing. 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:58.400 There's nothing left for me that has really any value. 00:21:59.279 --> 00:21:59.759 But he understands. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:04.400 The second part is that Jesus plus nothing and equals everything. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:07.119 Like he is absolutely everything for me. 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:08.799 He's everything to me. 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:10.640 Christ is life. 00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:12.400 He is ultimate gain. 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:15.119 Like there is no gain greater than him. 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:28.720 And here's the deal: when we live in such a way, when we live in that way, the Bible speaks of this aroma that follows us, that goes with us, that other people will see and will hear and will smell the aroma of Christ on us. 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:34.559 It's like a good candle in the middle of a room that just like just fills it with a way better smell than was there before. 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:35.359 You know what I'm saying? 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:39.279 Like this is what we're supposed to walk around with as Christ is our life. 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:41.839 Like people are attracted to us. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:43.839 They're attracted not to us, to what? 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:47.920 What we have that they desperately need, that this world desperately needs. 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:50.880 And here's the thing: I've heard it said this way, one commentator said it this way. 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:57.839 Like we can't do this thing where we want everything that the world wants, and then we just put Jesus over the top of it. 00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:07.440 Like we can't do this thing where we just, you know, have the same wants and desires as the world and then just sprinkle a little bit of Jesus on top for a little bit of extra flavoring. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:09.039 That's not how this works. 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:21.759 Like if your neighbor looks at your life and how you spend and how you live and how you prioritize and the things that are important to you, and it looks the same except for you give Jesus a little bit of time on Sundays when you're in town. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:24.960 Like what's what's attractive about that? 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.359 There's nothing distinct about your life. 00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:29.440 There's nothing distinct about my life. 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:35.119 But if Jesus is our life, then that's a compelling life to follow. 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:36.480 That's a compelling life. 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:39.599 That's a that's an aroma that follows you. 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:44.160 Like our treasure cannot be copied and pasted from the world. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:47.359 Our treasure must be Christ. 00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:48.640 It must be Christ. 00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:54.000 All else counted as rubbish for the surpassing worth of knowing Him. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:24:10.799 A friend of mine is a preacher outside of Indianapolis, and he said it this way Man, if you are not surrendered to Jesus this morning, if you haven't been changed by His gospel, haven't been made new in Him, but instead you're just content with saying that what this world has to offer is enough. 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:14.559 And he said it this way, then I hope you enjoy your life. 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:17.119 Like I hope you enjoy your title. 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:20.400 Hope you enjoy your success, your money, your vacation. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:27.759 I hope you enjoy this Mother's Day and the spring weather that's coming today, because this is the closest to heaven that you will ever get. 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:38.880 And I don't say that as a way to scare you, but to lovingly warn you. 00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:46.000 The Bible is very clear, if you are apart from Christ, then you have no hope in this life. 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:51.039 Like you are heading for an eternity of misery apart from him. 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:58.000 But church, the good news is that if you are walking with Jesus, you come to know him. 00:24:58.319 --> 00:25:08.559 You've been given his righteousness that's based on his obedience, like your life, like life isn't perfect, neither are you, but you are putting your confidence in the flesh, you're putting it in Christ, submitting to him daily. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:13.359 If you are in Jesus, then the good news is that this is as close to hell as you're ever gonna get. 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:15.359 Like there is a day coming. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:17.599 No matter how bad it gets, just hold on. 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:27.279 There's a day coming that our that our Bible tells us our king's gonna return, and he's gonna part the clouds, and you're gonna see him face to face, and he's gonna wipe away every tear in your eye. 00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:28.640 Like you can press forward. 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:30.559 He's gonna make all things new. 00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:33.119 This is as close to hell as we're ever gonna get. 00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:35.119 So I need to ask this question again. 00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:41.200 Like, do you believe that life with Jesus is better than life without him? 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:43.279 And if so, why? 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:49.680 I asked our elders and staff this question this week, and a lot of them got back with me. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:50.720 There's a lot of responses. 00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:54.000 I want to read all of them to you, but I don't have time to read all of them to you. 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:55.279 So here's just a couple. 00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:57.359 This is what Dave McCune, one of our elders, said. 00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:59.680 He said, Better doesn't even do it. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:02.079 Being with Jesus is life. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:06.000 Like living without him has highlights, but it is an empty shell. 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:12.559 Every good quality I have, every good relationship I have, every good experience I have, they're inseparable from life with Jesus. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:16.880 I am perfectly safe, loved, understood, and forgiven. 00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:18.880 No one else can offer that. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:24.000 I asked Kristen Stroud, like, Do you believe life with Jesus is better than life without him? 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:25.359 And she said, Absolutely. 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:32.000 Like trials, pain, suffering, they're still present, but they're present in a life without Jesus, too. 00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:48.160 However, a life with Jesus also has peace beyond understanding, joy beyond circumstances, healing beyond explanation, freedom beyond what we deserve, and hope beyond this life, all while we also get to be partners in God's work. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:50.079 That's the best life. 00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:58.319 I've studied for this passage, my mind kept coming back to a couple in our church, Brandon and Sarah Marker. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:02.079 They started coming to C3 last summer. 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:05.359 They shared with me that they had gone through a rough patch in their marriage. 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:10.880 They're trying to work on some things and go into counseling together, and things were starting to get better. 00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:20.400 And Sarah was honest, and she said, there was like he was like Brandon was starting to, you know, become a better husband, more like a better father, all this kind of stuff. 00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:23.599 But there was something else in him that was becoming different. 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:28.720 And she said, We both like, you know, we both grew up in church, but had like kind of went away from that. 00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:35.039 It's all just made-up stories, anyways, you know, like like there's moral teachings in the Bible, but that's basically it, you know? 00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:38.240 And she said there was something else changing in him. 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:44.000 And she said about a year and a half ago, she looked at him and said, If you become a Christian, I'm out. 00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:46.480 Like, I don't want any part of that. 00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:57.599 Fast forward a few months and things kept progressing, things kept getting better, and Brandon went to Sarah and just said, Hey, you know, I think I think we should give church a try. 00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:59.200 I think we should, I think we should go back to church. 00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:02.880 I think it'd be good for our marriage, I think it'd be good for our family, I think it'd be good for our kids. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:04.240 I think we should try it. 00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:08.640 Soon after that, Sarah's cutting hair like she does at her job. 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:29.519 That guy came in and sat down in the chair, and she started cutting his hair, and she started telling her story little by little, just a little bit at a time, and she talked about her marriage, she talked about the counseling, she talked about her family and her kids, and she talked about her husband, had just suggested they should go back to church, and she's like, I don't know how this is gonna work, though, you know, like I haven't been to church in a really long time. 00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:35.519 We're gonna go back to the church I grew up in this this weekend with my parents, but I don't know, I feel like it's gonna be weird. 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:37.920 I'm not I'm not super sure about this. 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:44.240 After that, she looked at the guy whose hair she was cutting and she said, So what do you do? 00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:47.839 And it was me who was sitting in that chair. 00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:51.759 And I said, Well, I'm a preacher. 00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:54.799 And she said, No, you are not. 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:57.519 And I said, Yes, actually, I am. 00:28:57.599 --> 00:28:59.200 I'm a preacher at Carnival Christian Church. 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:01.039 She started asking me questions about our church. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:08.000 I've been going to the same place to get my hair cut out for five or six years and never had a conversation. 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:14.240 Like sometimes God just gotta slap me upside the head and say, Hey, I've got somebody here for you that needs this. 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:15.920 She started asking questions. 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:17.759 She actually sent me a text that night. 00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:20.400 She said, Hey, sorry, this is Sarah from the barbershop. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:24.160 I got your message from our database, and my husband's asking about your church. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:25.279 I want to know. 00:29:25.359 --> 00:29:28.640 They came a couple weeks later for the first time. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:29.839 Sarah and Brandon did. 00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:33.920 They came with their kids, they started gathering to worship with us, to study with us. 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:36.480 They jumped into a short-term group in January. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:40.720 And the week after Easter, they both stepped into these waters of baptism. 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:42.160