Follow Jesus By Valuing What's Most Important

What do you find yourself taking the most pride in? Form some, it may be their families. For others, it is their accomplishments (work/hobbies). I remember when I was in 4th grade or so, our school gathered a bunch of items that we thought were so important and put them into a time capsule. This time capsule was buried in front of the school, and the plan was to dig it up in 50 years to show a new generation what we thought was so important.

Some of us have boxes in the attic or basement of our houses that hold things from our past that we value greatly. If we were to take them out, the first glance at some of those things would bring back sweet memories from our pasts.

‌Precious Philippi

The New Testament letter we call Philippians is a letter written to the church at Philippi by the apostle Paul while he was in prison (most likely in Rome around A.D. 62).

The Philippian church was very special to the apostle Paul. It was the first Christian church Paul planted in Europe. Throughout this letter, Paul uses language that shows how dear this church was to his heart.

Paul wrote to this church to encourage them in the faith as they faced pressure from the culture around them. The Church at Philippi found itself in the midst of a thriving city that experienced many freedoms and luxuries. Sadly, many things in Philippi also sought to move people’s hearts from the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

‌Paul’s Warning

¹ In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you. ² Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh.

​Philippians 3:1–2 CSB

A group of people known as Judaizers had come into Philippi with false teachings that were leading some away from the truth of the gospel. These Judaizers had impressive credentials among the Jewish people, and because of this, some were listening to what they were saying.

We can see this type of thing happen in our lives today. We see someone who has a bunch of titles or letters before or after their name, and we think, “They must know what they are talking about.” The truth is just because a person has a lot of degrees or titles doesn’t mean they are worth listening to. What is most important is the message that is being shared and if it is truth.

‌Paul’s Accolades

⁴ although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.

​Philippians 3:4–6 CSB

Paul does not discount there are things of which we could be proud. In verses 4-6, Paul shares things in his own life that many had looked to him as being something worth taking great pride in.

• Circumcised on the 8th day — This was a quality of true Jewish males. Those who converted to Judaism would go through this as adults. This was a strict observance of what the Law of Moses commanded God’s people to do.

• Of the nation of Israel — This phrase was to show that Paul was not one converted from another religion, but that he was Jewish from birth. He was a true descendant of Jacob who would have his name changed to Israel by God.

• Of the tribe of Benjamin — This was to show that Paul was from the prestigious tribe of Israel. It was this tribe that gave Israel its first king. Benjamin was the only son of Israel that was born in the Promised Land.

• A Hebrew born of Hebrews — This was to show that both of Paul’s parents were Hebrew people. This is also a reference to those who held on to speaking the Hebrew language even when they were scattered among other nations and languages.

• Regarding the Law, a Pharisee — one who devoted their whole life to the study of God’s Law and keeping it to the smallest detail.

• Regarding zeal, persecuting the church — Paul shares that in his old way of life, he had made eradicating the followers of Jesus his life mission.
  
• Regarding the righteousness in the Law, blameless — Paul pointed out that if anyone were to put him to the test outwardly, he would pass with flying colors. He had never been accused of breaking any law.

Paul had many accolades in his life up to this point. Many in the Jewish world thought at one time Paul was the epitome of being a good Jew. As he lists his “qualifications,” he doesn’t see them all as bad. He took great pride in being an Israelite. He was thankful for the study of God’s Law that he had the opportunity to do.

We may have certain things in our lives that people look at as blessings. It may be the family you were born into, the degrees you have earned from countless hours of studying, or recognition from a job well done at work, school, or in the community. These are not bad things. They are just not the most important thing.

‌A Changed Goal

What we see in verse 7 is Paul had at one time considered all these things “a gain” to him. There was a time when they were the main thing in his life, but something happened.

⁷ But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. ⁸ More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. ¹⁰ My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, ¹¹ assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

​Philippians 3:7–11 CSB

While Paul had spent much of his adult life persecuting the Church, he met Jesus on the Damascus Road and was forever changed. At that moment, he realized that much of what he treasured (while it was not necessarily bad) was insufficient to bring about the peace, hope, and joy he so desperately desired.

How many of us find ourselves running from one accomplishment to the next looking for fulfillment? We think that maybe one more title… one more degree… one more promotion… one more of whatever will make us feel like we are valuable and worth something. That path is never-ending and can never be completely satisfied.

Like Paul, what we need is an encounter with the One who created us for His glory. We need an encounter with the One who gave His life to redeem us from our sin. When we come to the place where we meet Jesus, we realize that all of the accolades this world can offer can be considered rubbish in comparison to knowing Jesus and experiencing what He can do in a person’s life.

Are we looking to outward things to make us closer to God? Are we looking to our good works? Are we looking to who we are or what we can accomplish? If so, then we are going to be let down every time. It is only through Jesus Christ will we find what we are truly looking for.

‌Final Thoughts

Paul had found this great truth (only through Jesus Christ will we find what we are looking for), and he wanted to share it with all who would listen to him. In these verses, you can almost hear him pleading, “Don’t depend on what you can do… don’t worry so much with the accolades… don’t lean so much on your family name, reputation, or accomplishments. Know Jesus, and in Him, you will find what you’re looking for.”

Paul ended this section by stating the goal of his life had become to know Jesus — the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. He realized the truth of Psalm 34:8.

⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!

‌Psalm 34:8 CSB

That may just be the message you need to hear today. You have been bouncing among so many things — relationship to relationship, job to job, achievement to achievement — and you still feel lacking. Could it be that you have been missing the single thing you need most — Jesus?

These other things may be gifts or tools the Lord has blessed you with but don’t settle for the blessing. Look to the One who gives you those blessings. He will show you how each of them are to play in your life. He will also show you that He is the One you need to value above all else.

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Valleys and Peaks Part 3

‌Who likes a good secret? I am of the belief that just about everyone likes a good secret. We see this in the way that people flock to news stories and social media. I’m not saying that is necessarily a good thing, but people are always looking for a good secret. Secrets aren’t necessarily bad things though. Some of you have a secret family recipe that has been sworn to secrecy. Those secrets can be – and usually are – really good things.

‌As we continue in our series called Valleys and Peaks, we are looking at people from the Bible who went through times of both low and high points in life. I am grateful that the Bible is a book of reality. The Bible doesn’t seek to make everyone look good all the time. It is quick to point out people’s faults and even struggles many times.

‌Today, we are going to look at one of the Bible’s most popular people: the apostle, Paul. Paul was a guy that was very passionate. He grew up in the Jewish faith and found himself moving up in the ranks of Judaism. He made his life mission to wipe the name of Jesus off the face of the earth. That is until he met Jesus on the Damascus Road. This meeting with Jesus changed Paul’s life forever.

‌Paul’s Peaks

Paul would have many mountaintop experiences in his life. He would take many missionary journeys where he would take the gospel to places that had not heard it before. Paul would help start churches where there were no churches. He would meet and share meals with people of great prestige. He watched God open prison doors for him to walk free.

‌Paul’s Valleys

Paul also was one who knew about valleys in life.

Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the scum of the earth, like everyone’s garbage.

​1 Corinthians 4:11–13 CSB

‌

Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers; toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.

​2 Corinthians 11:24–27 CSB

We can see from these verses and others that Paul knew both great valleys and peaks. What is interesting to notice is that neither the high peaks nor the deep valleys completely broke him or caused him to get off track of what God wanted to do in his life. It is almost like he had a secret that kept him from getting a big head on the mountain top and throwing in the towel in the shadows of the valley.

Paul shares that the secret to his ability to go on is something called contentment.

‌Contentment

Historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., has observed that our society is marked by what he calls “inextinguishable discontent.” He has said that there is a quest for better and what’s next. We may want a better job… better relationships… He says that we have a propensity to live endlessly for the next thing – the next weekend, next vacation, next purchase, or next experience. Many are never satisfied, never content, and envious of those who have what we have not attained or accumulated.

If you were to look up the term ‘content’ or ‘contentment’ in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, you would see that it is defined as being “satisfied” or “to appease the desires of.” This seems to be a simple enough definition.

The word that the Bible uses and is translated as ‘content’ or ‘contentment’ shows that this is not just an acceptance of the status quo, but the positive assurance that God has supplied one’s needs.

Contentment is not just blindly accepting what is, but it is actively living on the faith that God is in control and working for our good – even when present situations do not seem good.

Paul shares about the importance of this contentment in the life of a follower of Jesus in Philippians 4.

​I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it. I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:10–13 CSB

Tony Merida shares a great outline of contentment from this passage that I would like to use as an outline for this message today.

‌Contentment is unconnected to our circumstances

In Philippians 4:11, Paul says that he has learned to be content in whatever the circumstances. In this section, Paul was thanking the Philippian church for the gift that they had sent to him. This was not a request for more because Paul was more interested in the church bearing fruit and pleasing the LORD.

I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.

​Philippians 4:11 CSB

The “I” in this verse is an emphatic “I”. Paul was not sharing this nugget of truth with the Philippians because he read it in some book or heard someone talk about it. Paul learned this truth from the experiences of his life. We have already seen that Paul went through many highs and lows in his life. Here he shares that the contentment that we need is not based on our circumstances.

We will all go through valleys and peaks in this life. The valleys have the temptation of stealing our joy. The peaks have the temptation of puffing us with sinful pride. The contentment that we need to protect us from these temptations is not tied to the circumstances that we find ourselves in. Our circumstances will change like the weather, but there is something that never changes.

​Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 CSB

It is in the Person of Jesus that this contentment is found.

‌Contentment is learned

Paul shares in Philippians 4:11-12 that this contentment is not something that just happens, but it is learned. It would be nice if this contentment was just automatically put in our account, but it doesn’t happen that way. Paul shares that he learned this contentment in the day-to-day faith journey that he had with Jesus.

I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.

​Philippians 4:11–12 CSB

The journey that Jesus takes us on in this life is filled with many life lessons. Each turn has something that we need that will be a tool later in the journey. There is nothing wrong with the high points. The LORD wants to give His children good gifts. But there is nothing necessarily wrong with the low points either. There are some things that we will only learn when we are stretched beyond our limits.

The LORD is actively seeking to teach us what we need for this life. One of the most important lessons or tools that He wants to teach us is to be content in Him.

‌Contentment flows from union with and reliance on Christ

Contentment is not pretending that things are right when they are not. It instead shows a peace in knowing that the LORD is bigger than any problem and works them all out for the good of His followers (Romans 8:28).

Contentment is based on an internal source = Jesus Christ, the King of our heart. Paul knew this and experienced this – and we can too!

We cannot look to the superficial satisfaction that things of this world can bring. They are like cotton candy – sweet for a moment but dissolves in an instant leaving us searching for more.

A person who has allowed Jesus Christ His rightful place as King of our heart is the person who will experience this contentment.

In Philippians 4:13, Paul shares with us the secret of contentment. It is rooted in our relationship with Jesus Christ. This contentment flows from our union and communion with Him.

This verse is one that is frequently quoted but often misapplied. It has nothing to do with accomplishing sporting feats, making your dreams come true, or making more money at your job. The context of this verse explains what this verse is talking about. The context here is about being content in Jesus and fully trusting Him with everything. When we get to the point where we focus more on Jesus than our circumstances, we find contentment to the fullest. We also find out that this contentment is fulfilling because Jesus is what we need above everything else.

‌Conclusion

As the valleys and peaks of this life come our way, we find that the secret of contentment is what is needed to get the most out of each. Some people consider this contentment a superpower. While it is extremely powerful, it is something that is offered to anyone who will place their faith in Jesus and follow Him.

If you have trusted Jesus, you have a God who hears and sees you, the power of His love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven before you. If you have Jesus, you have grace for every sin, direction for every turn, and an anchor for every storm. You have everything you need in Him. These wonderful gifts cannot be found anywhere else.

Do you know this secret that makes the most of both valleys and peaks in our lives?

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The Sin of Isolationism

I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.

1 Corinthians 5:9 HCSB

As the apostle Paul is writing to this church in Corinth about some things that are going on, some churches today are taking it to heart.  Paul had written the Corinthian church previously about some of the relationships that they had.  Paul had warned them not to associate with people who were living in blatant unrepentant sin.

Before becoming a pastor, I had the privilege of serving in student ministry for many years.  During my time in student ministry and working with teenagers and their families, the issue of isolating students from "the world" came up many times.  Parents wanted to see their children not tainted by "the world".  There was even times when this verse was used to justify it.

I never wanted to see anyone get caught up in the traps of "this world".  I know that a person's environment can be a strong factor in how they will act themselves.  If a person has come to Christ and is trying to change their habits, then sometimes the best thing that they can do is put some separation between them and their former environments and friends.

A problem that I see is that when Christians isolate themselves from "the world", they lose their opportunity to accomplish the Great Commission.  Can you see a Christian come to saving faith in Christ?  They are already there!  The Gospel was given to Christians to go and share with "the world" who does not know Christ.

If you continue to read on as to what Paul was writing to the Corinthian church, you see that he was talking about not having association with those who call themselves followers of Jesus and then live in blatant unrepentant sin (1 Corinthians 5:11). Now, this is a different ballgame altogether.  For those within the church, those who name the Name of Christ and live in a way that you would never know it, then there needs to be a couple of things going on.

First, there needs to be some confrontation.  How many of our parents told us when we went out, "Remember who you belong to and the name you carry?"  We are in no place to judge a person's eternal destiny, but we can call what we see.  I heard one preacher say it like this: "God didn't make me a judge of your soul, but He did call me to be a fruit inspector!"  Christians should love one another enough to get in their face when they are clearly out of line.  I believe that many of the problems that we see in churches today would not be there if more brothers and sisters in Christ would hold their spiritual siblings to the commitment they made when they decided to become a Christian.

Second, there needs to be some room for the Holy Spirit to work.  When we do not confront our brother or sister in Christ on the blatant sin in their lives, we send the message that we approve of it.  God has called us to reflect Him and be holy (Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7; 1 Peter 1:16).  When sin is present in the life of a Christian and they are not willing to repent of it, then (after confronting in love) we should allow room for God to do a discipline work in their lives (1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Timothy 1:20).

We cannot put a barrier between the Gospel - the message of hope placed in the hearts of Christians - and "the world" - those who do not know Christ.  Should we expect an non-Christian to act any other way than a non-Christian?  If we do not intentionally go to them with the Gospel, how will they hear?  May it not be said of Christians that we are just living in our "holy huddle".  May we intentionally build relationships with non-Christians and share with them the amazing love that Jesus has given to us.

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