Is Jesus worth the trouble and sacrifice? Is he worth the cost of giving up stuff, like wealth, career, self-image, pleasures, and dreams?
“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8, NIV.
CONSIDERED
The Apostle "considered" everything loss. He weighed things in his mind and concluded that he was willing to give up everything because knowing Jesus was better, for to gain Christ is all,
RUBBISH
Paul considered things of this world as "rubbish." Rubbish is the worthless, useless leftovers, you throw away. If you offered him wealth, he would think it trash compared to Jesus. All the wealth of the world combined is small change compared to the Lord.
LOSS
To follow Christ cost him his seat on the council, lost his status as a national and religious leader; he became an outcast to his own society and community, he was disowned by his countrymen he was stoned, beaten, and whipped on various occasions. Finally, unjustly imprisoned he gave his life as a martyr for Christ.
JESUS
* Jesus is worth giving up TV to spend time reading the Bible.
* He is worth sacrificing the promotion to be able to have time to serve in Christian work.
* He is worth giving up popularity to befriend the unlovely and bring them to Christ.
* He is worth a smaller bank account so that we may give liberally to the work of Christ's kingdom.
* He is worth a few minutes of sleep to wake early for Morning Prayer.
* He is worth giving up a romance to experience the depth of his love.
SURPASSING GREATNESS
Jesus is worth more than all these things. Jesus outweighs all things in beauty, greatness, worth, and reward. Jesus offers to come into our life but he doesn't force himself on us and he refuses to compete. He wants us to choose. He wants us to have that love that declares “Jesus over all.”
Jesus is worth the sacrifice and he will reward both in this life and the next.
To learn more about the Gospel see my other blog.
“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8, NIV.
CONSIDERED
The Apostle "considered" everything loss. He weighed things in his mind and concluded that he was willing to give up everything because knowing Jesus was better, for to gain Christ is all,
RUBBISH
Paul considered things of this world as "rubbish." Rubbish is the worthless, useless leftovers, you throw away. If you offered him wealth, he would think it trash compared to Jesus. All the wealth of the world combined is small change compared to the Lord.
LOSS
To follow Christ cost him his seat on the council, lost his status as a national and religious leader; he became an outcast to his own society and community, he was disowned by his countrymen he was stoned, beaten, and whipped on various occasions. Finally, unjustly imprisoned he gave his life as a martyr for Christ.
JESUS
* Jesus is worth giving up TV to spend time reading the Bible.
* He is worth sacrificing the promotion to be able to have time to serve in Christian work.
* He is worth giving up popularity to befriend the unlovely and bring them to Christ.
* He is worth a smaller bank account so that we may give liberally to the work of Christ's kingdom.
* He is worth a few minutes of sleep to wake early for Morning Prayer.
* He is worth giving up a romance to experience the depth of his love.
SURPASSING GREATNESS
Jesus is worth more than all these things. Jesus outweighs all things in beauty, greatness, worth, and reward. Jesus offers to come into our life but he doesn't force himself on us and he refuses to compete. He wants us to choose. He wants us to have that love that declares “Jesus over all.”
Jesus is worth the sacrifice and he will reward both in this life and the next.
To learn more about the Gospel see my other blog.
(c) Adron 4/3/10
