Philippians 3:7–11 | Resources
Discussion Questions
Paraphrase verse 7. How would you explain this to someone?
Are you willing to agree with Paul that everything is worth nothing compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ? What things do you struggle with seeing as dung compared to Christ?
If righteousness doesn’t come from obedience to the law, where does it come from?
What would you say is your number 1 goal in life? If it’s not to know Christ more, what needs to change?
How does suffering for Christ enable us to know Christ more? What suffering are you currently facing that is helping you know Christ more?
In light of our text/sermon, what would it look like to obey?
Memory Verse
“My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death.” Philippians 3:10 (CSB)
Devotional
We live in a world hyper-focused on results and accomplishments. The accomplishments on your resume, your company’s bottom line, your child’s place of finish in the latest sports tournament, we could go on. When I was in high school, one accomplishment I was aiming for was to earn a certain GPA in order to graduate with honors and receive a medal at graduation. Most goals aren’t wrong in and of themselves, but we need to constantly assess our motivation and the eternal significance of our goals.
In Philippians 3:5-6 Paul lists his spiritual resume. The result? “Best in class” for a devoted Pharisee of the day. But verse seven provides the night and day pivot as Paul says, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” Ultimately his resume was worthless compared to knowing Christ. The word he uses to describe his resume is translated as “rubbish” or “garbage.” The word is likely referring to dung, and we could use more explicit wording from there if we wanted.
The point is, any temporal accomplishment we can point to in this life is ultimately eternally insignificant if it holds no eternal and spiritual value to glorify Christ. Sometimes we get so blinded with the short-term praise from men, false security wrapped up in our own possessions, or wrapped up in fulfilling our own comfort that we lose perspective on the weight of things that matter eternally.
At my graduation, I achieved my goal and got a medal. However, it ultimately left me unfulfilled as I thought about the time I spent chasing after it when I could’ve spent some of that time reaching out to others. Don’t waste your life chasing after empty accomplishments or “medals” that will fade away, but keep focus on investing your time and efforts into things for which Christ will commend you one day by saying, “well done, good and faithful servant.”