Title: Philippians 3 "The Highest Things"
Philippians 3 “The Highest Things”
In Chapter 1, the apostle Paul made three confessions from the heart toward the members of the Philippian church, and in Chapter 2, he exhorted the believer's life to be "a life for others." Here in Chapter 3, Paul again expressed his earnest confession. The most moving sermons are confessional sermons.
1 “Because of the noblest” (1-11)
The Apostle Paul here confessed what he valued the most. The word "most noble" means "surpassing worth" or "surpassing greatness". There are things in life that people value the most and value the most. Health, wealth, knowledge, fame, happiness, family, business, children, grandchildren, etc. are the most valuable and the greatest. But the apostle Paul did not.
What the Apostle Paul considered most noble, valuable, and great was to know (8,10), to gain (8), and to be found (9) in Jesus Christ. Knowing here means experiential knowledge through encounters and participation. To gain means to have and have the Lord as my Lord. To be found in him means that the Lord has me because I am in him. To that end, Paul confessed that he considered all useful things such as family, tradition, education, religious righteousness, etc. as excrement. You may try to gain both and lose both. Jesus said that you cannot serve God and money, and you cannot love God and family. To know the Lord deeply and to share in His sufferings and resurrection is the noblest, most valuable, and great thing.
2 "I follow" (12-16)
3 “But our citizenship is in heaven” (17-21)