“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
In the book of Acts and in Paul’s letters to the churches, we see that his life displayed the value of knowing Christ. All he had counted of importance to him before was now little more than rubbish for the trash heap. After he met the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus (a road he was taking at the time to capture and persecute followers of Christ!), his whole life faded away and had to be abandoned. Instantly, he worshipped Christ and followed His leading.

Of Paul’s words in the first chapter of Philippians, John Piper describes, “The inner essence of worship is cherishing Christ as gain, indeed as more gain than all that life can offer— family, career, retirement, fame, food, friends. The essence of worship is experiencing Christ as gain…. ‘To live is Christ’ means to count everything as loss now in this life in comparison to the value of gaining Christ” (1997).

When we cherish the abundant gift of salvation in Jesus Christ compared to all this world offers, the value of the world’s treasures and ambitions fades away.


Scripture Focus

Philippians 3:1-11

Insight

“I urge you … to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Bible In A Year

  • Jeremiah 31-32
  • Psalm 119:1-64
  • 1 Corinthians 11
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