Paul renounces his worldly gain, in fact in comparison to knowing Jesus Christ everything else is considered trash. Many will work hard all their life and fail to realize that true life (here and eternal) is really about enjoying Jesus! Our greatest joy comes not from the trash of this world, but at that moment when we realize we were bought with a Treasure!
It’s a great tragedy when our only hope is to gain more fame, money, and power. If you’ve realized this and turned away from this tragedy, do not keep it to yourself by any means! It’s not bad to have stuff, it’s bad to make stuff your god! Idols will never bring you joy, it’s rigged so that only Jesus can! You don’t know the gospel is good news until you know that trying to gain salvation through yourself is impossible!
Tragedy- Never Knowing Jesus Christ (No Jesus, No Life)
Treasure- Knowing and Living for Jesus Christ (Know Jesus, Know Life)
2 tragedies
1) Looking to others for salvation vv.2-5 Judaizers made obstacles and additions to the purity of the gospel.
2) Looking to oneself/works for salvation vv.6-7
This is what recognizing our tragedy looks like.
Psalm 40:2 “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”
2 Corinthians 5:15 “and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” and Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Salvation is a miracle! Count Christ more important and more precious than your circumstances!
How do I trust in the treasure and run from the tragedy?
1) v.7- Realize Christ must be above everything!
2) v.8- Recognize knowing Christ is worth everything!
3) v.9- Resolve to be found In Him!
(Working all summer for a pocket knife story)
Be Thankful to Be Redeemed By The Treasure vv.10-16
We no longer stand before God as guilty but as righteous! Galatians 2:16 “yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
We are no longer orphans or enemies of the cross, we’re the King’s heirs and have been bought with the greatest of treasures, Jesus, the Son of God!
vv.12-14 The reason I reach, I strain, I press, is because He is worthy! He died and paid what I could not! We do this together!
Ephesians 2:1-5 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved”
We gain everything when we trust in Christ as our treasure! vv.20-21
1) New citizenship, 2) Jesus Christ, 3) new bodies
Psalm 9:10 “And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”
Psalm 13:5 “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”
Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
Psalm 31:14 “But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”
Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”