The surpassing value of knowing Christ

Summary

The word I will share with you today is not from the gospel reading but I chose to share with you from the first lesson Phillipians Chapter 3 verses 4-14.

The theme I have given to the message is , the surpassing value of knowing Christ.

I recently heard a sermon on the function of the law in our Christian life and our Christian journey. It was so clear for me even so many years after the cross we still many of us, maybe all of us , not only Paul or Martin Luther for that matter   still struggle     how to find a way how to approach God   through our own good deeds through what we are able to accomplish. So this message to the Christians in Philipi from Paul is addressing this issue. So it is apparent from this text that Paul was in Philipi prior to this time and he had taught them all he had learned on his journey to Damascus. After that experience of learning or knowing how desperately he actually needed Gods mercy through Christ. So he was passing this message because he had tried to earn God¨s love or a relationship with God in all that is possible through education and intelligence and everything that he is able to accomplish as a human being and he found that was not sufficient for him to build a relationship with God after his experience with Jesus Christ so this was what he was teaching. After he left Philipi, possibly at this point he was in prison and it sounds like he heard this news that other teachers have come to the same place that he was teaching and added to his teaching yes that’s right you can believe in Christ and come to God but however in addition you need to do A, B and C. Nothing wrong with doing things correctly but that was interfering with what confidence they had to approach God.   So he is addressing this issue

So many years after this letter we still have the same struggles, probably you all find yourselves in some of these, I do have my own struggles particularly I remember from my youth where I was so determined to be committed and not ever to disappoint God or not to go back to those places. Guess what no I am back very quickly to the same things I was running away from.   So this balance was very difficult and I could be wondering when will I grow enough, when will I grow mature enough to be this God pleasing Christian.

I vividly remember one experience that in my college years I was sitting in the library doing my regular reading and I just lifted my eyes up and there was a bible verse hanging on the library wall . It is from 2 Corinthians chapter 5 versus 17   “If anyone is in Christ you are a new person, you are a new creation”. It did not depend on what you are doing or not doing., it is depending on what Jesus Christ has done on the Cross for us. So the main thing here is Paul is saying you know what if that had earned me acceptance with God you know I have everything to brag about that. In verse 5 and 6 he tells about himself , he sums up his resume. I am sure he could have gone on and on.     This is what he says about himself.     Me I am circumcised on the 8^th day, a member of the people of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews as to the law a Pharisee as to zeal a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law blameless If one is to brag by what they have achieved or attained I would be the first one but you know what he says that did not gain me Chirst ! That would be a good story you may be like born of Christian parents, Christian grand parents but that did not gain me Christ. According to Paul he refers this to us as a confidence on the flesh, what is flesh, that is who we are without Christ, that is flesh. I regard all these that came and taught you they robbed you of the grace of God, he blinded you from seeing his love. They taught you how to be confident on the flesh. You know all that I was and all that I worked for I considered as nothing he says. That I considered as nothing because it did not gain me Christ. It only taught me to be confident on myself outside of Christ . I considered as a loss what ever gain I had because of that I consider as a loss because it did not gain me Christ and he keeps on saying that everything I bragged about I just regard it as rubbish he says not that it is worthless or not necessary but because they way I am looking at it is interfering with the true power of God that can keep me walking that can make me profitable for others that is why I will no longer speak about my own achievements. What I have found now through the power of his cross and through the power of his resurrection that he calls it the surpassing power of knowing God. For him he has now found a true way the true power, this is a new revelation for me I have learned everything under the law he was    sitting at the feet of a teacher called Gamleo he was getting the best education       that I now don’t have to earn that I just have to receive that , that is a surpassing value much greater.   Everything I earned I leave behind I disregarded so that I may gain Christ. Righteousness is not gained though works but through faith in Christ. Jesus gave his life, Jesus took death on the cross. Why That is because there is no way for us to come back to God , there is no way for us to be reconciled to God. That was the only way and that is why Jessus needed to give his life to bring us back to restore us to our position with God.

The reason why we cannot free ourselves. The reason for that is not what what we do or don’t. When we disobeyed   we left him and we came to that place and only the blood of Christ can bring us out of that place nothing else.   We are so used to getting back in accordance to what we put out. We work hard we get more. If you don’t love you don’t get back Our systems our based on working for it. The more you work the more you get. It is not natural for us to be in this position that we sit and receive.

We are all needy. It does not really matter what story we are all needy because of the position we fell into.   I am needy we are all needy. The way to come is Humble ourselves and come to him through the cross of Jesus Christ.   In order to realize the one in Christ as a new creation you need to grasp Gods love it is completely different to what we are used to in our natural world. You can only see it through the cross.

God is not judging us , God is not finding faults on us, he is gracious he is slow to anger and rich in love.   All that we need to do is come to him. Humble ourselves and keep walking with him. Gods love has an eternal dimension

I wanted to share with you a story I heard a long time ago. A long time ago in a country in the South Pacific there was a lady called Sarah. She lived with her parents. The villagers talk about Sarah. , all the girls of her age and younger were married. There was no guy showing interest in Sarah and she was still living with her parents. There came a business man and he asked why they were talking about Sarah. and then they told them this story . Then he was interested to come and see Sarahs parents. This young lady was hosting the guests, she is coming in and out , she is not nicely dressed, she is a little bent down and a bit depressed. And he asks who is this . The father replies this is my daughter. I want to marry her. Are you a crazy man you are a wealthy man who can choose who ever you want. You should not be paying a bridal price of more than 2-3 cows. The time comes this man says he will pay 18 cows for Sarah. Everyone was confused and did not understand what he was doing. He explains that he does not want his wife to be embarrassed if asked what bridal price was paid. Some time later one of those companions visited the wealthy man, the lady in his house who is hosting was not like Sarah, but so graceful and upright and beautiful and they ask him, who is this lady. He answers that is my Sarah.   That is our story he pays the price for us he brings us to his home , he cleanses us he builds who we are according to his own grace. That is our story.    You can put your name on that and . I am Christ Amsel. This is why I am here that is why I am able to tell stories because I have a story myself

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