Prayer: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you (James 4:7-8).
Our Lord and Savior, help us to be submissive to your will for our lives. You are the creator of all things. All good and perfect gifts come from you, God. Help us this day to follow your leading and not our own selfish desires so that we may walk in your wise counsel. Protect us from all evil, and help us to give you all the praise at the end of the day. Amen
Main Scripture:
But whatever were gains to me, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:7-15).
Associated Scriptures:
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice (Proverbs 12:15, ESV).
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers (Psalm 1:1-3).
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).
Correlative Quotes:
How do we reach the goal God has set for us? For one thing, we must be honest with ourselves and admit where we are: as Paul declared. "Not that I have already attained" (v. 12). Then, we must keep our eyes of faith on Christ and forget the past - past sins and failures, and also past successes. The Christian life is not a game; it is a race that demands the very best that is in us.[1] Warren Wiersbe
Paul wasn't perfect in his walk with the Lord, but he looked toward that day (in Christ's eternal Kingdom) when he would be. While perfection is not possible in this life, we should strive for spiritual maturity.[2] – Harold L. Willington
Can we honestly say that we are straining to reach the goal? For most believers, the Christian life is a hit or miss proposition. That is, we just kind of take it as it comes. If we succeed for the Lord, then praise His name! – [3]Alan Carr
Study:
INTRODUCTION
Those things once deemed as gains or as profitable to Paul were actually to be counted as loss in view of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.
I have considered or counted (vs. 7): counted is a mathematical term which says, "Think about it and come to a conclusion."[4] In the account book of Paul's life (so to speak) his entries on the gain side were transferred to the loss side. They were not merely useless and worthless, they were detrimental.
Worldly Superiority: People looked up to Paul because of his credentials.
Worldly Security: Paul’s credentials gave him a position of security.
Worldly Insensitivity: Paul was not tolerant of anyone who disagreed with him.
Hebrew birth rites: Attained through his birth to a Hebrew family.
Misplaced loyalty: Discovered through mistaken Jewish theology
Misguided beliefs: The interpretation of that mistaken theology
Jesus used the same word in Matthew 16:26 (NKJV) when He said, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Paul's point is that all of man's glory amounts to nothing when compared with the glorious treasure which is found in Christ lone. Paul’s old self brought honor and glory to himself. The new redeemed Paul brought only honor and glory to God. Paul did not trade one system of beliefs for another. Salvation is not a religion it is a relationship. Many Christians fall into the position trap. We must continually look at ourselves as in relationship to our Savior. In everything we come up short. Christ alone meets the need of our soul and the demands of God’s righteous judgment.
Summary Statement:
Some believers may ask is the loss of the finer things in life worth the gain that we secure through spiritual growth. After all, born again Christians are promised " an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you (1 Peter 1:4).”
Apart from that, there are several compelling reasons that Christians must grow spiritually. First, it glorifies God. Second, it provides evidence that their salvation is genuine. Third, it adorns and makes visible the truth of God to others Fourth, it brings assurance of salvation. Fifth, it preserves believers from the sorrow and suffering associated with spiritual immaturity. Sixth, it protects the cause of Christ from reproach. Seventh, it produces joy in believers' lives. Eighth, it equips them for ministry to others in the body of Christ. Finally, it enhances their witness to the lost world.[5] – John MacArthur
Lesson within the Lesson:
What things did Paul count as gain and what were his resulting actions?
As a result of His conversion, how did Paul’s perspective on these gains change?
How did Paul find joy in his imprisonment?
What was there about the Church at Philippi that brought Paul joy?
[1] Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament. Copyright © 1992 by Chariot Victor Publishing, an imprint of Cook Communication Ministries. All rights reserved.
[2] Willmington's Bible Handbook by Harold Willmington Copyright © 1997 by Harold L. Willmington. Produced with permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
[3] Alan Carr, Running for the Prize, The Sermon Notebook, preceptaustin.org, Philippians 3:12
[4] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Copyright © Moody Press and John MacArthur, Jr., 1983-2007.
[5] Ibid.
A Few Clouds, 61°