What do you treasure? One needs to look no further than his or her priorities for the truth. 

Whatever we focus on dictates our actions–make no mistake, you are willing to sacrifice for the thing(s) most valuable to you. Whether it’s money, status, power, safety, or comfort. What do you treasure?

There is only one thing most “worth it;” one thing of “surpassing worth” (of “everlasting worth”) that is truly worth treasuring, where the gain for us and for others is truly worth the sacrifice.

This Sunday, let’s talk about the one thing of surpassing worth in our lives regardless of who we are or where we are and the gain of our sacrifice, should we give ourselves to the pursuit of Him.

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Questions for Reflection and Discussion

Consider the things that people/you treasure. Why do they/you treasure these things? Why do they/you ultimately fall short of treasuring Jesus?

Consider the areas in which we might rejoice in ourselves i.e. our flesh. Which is most enticing for you? Why? How can we have the same “count it all as loss” mentality as Paul?

How does koinonia in the suffering of Christ help you to know Him more?

How does the hope of resurrection encourage you in your life and walk with Jesus today?

Have you ever been asked the question, “What do you do?” For the majority of us, when asked the question, we begin with our career, our work–at least we do if we are proud of what we do, right? In our culture, we are often defined by our work. There are a number of problems with this mentality.

The biggest problem with this mentality, frankly, is that it is unbiblical. We are not defined by our work. The Bible clearly teaches that we are defined by God’s work–the work He has done for us in Christ and is doing in us by His Spirit; however, work is vitally important to all life. Life does not work without work. That’s true in general but also true with our spiritual life as well.

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Questions for Reflection & Discussion

There is a significant difference between “working for your salvation” and “working out your salvation.” What is this difference and why is the distinction important to make?

Behind our work is God’s work. How does this bring comfort to your life as a follower of Jesus?

We are all tempted to grumble and complain. How can you maintain a joyful attitude in the midst of the problems of life?

Who are the people in your life who model Jesus? In what ways do they model Christlikeness?

Similarly, who are the people in your life to whom you model Jesus? In what ways would they say you model Christlikeness?

This weekend is Veterans Day where we honor veterans of our country’s Armed Forces. There is something particularly beautiful about sacrifice that, when you see it, you cannot help but be moved, whether it be a hero's sacrifice for one’s family or country or, in the case of our scripture reading for Sunday, a savior’s sacrifice for the sin of the world.

This Sunday is International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Together, we join millions of Christians around the world in praying for the persecuted church. The statistics are startling. There are over 360 million Christians who will suffer high levels of persecution today and every two minutes, someone is killed for their faith in Jesus.* These persecuted brothers and sisters of ours are without question some of the most courageous people on earth. From where does their courage come?

Bring a friend and join us this Sunday as we look to the book of Philippians for the answer in a new series we are calling Surpassing Worth: Sacrificial Living for the Sake of Christ.