Philippians 3: 4 even though I certainly have grounds for putting confidence in such things. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for putting confidence in human qualifications, I have better grounds:
a. 5 b’rit-milah on the eighth day,
b. by birth belonging to the people of Isra’el,
c. from the tribe of Binyamin,
d. a Hebrew-speaker, with Hebrew-speaking parents,
e. in regard to the Torah, a Parush,
f. 6 in regard to zeal, a persecutor of the Messianic Community,
g. in regard to the righteousness demanded by legalism, blameless.
7 But the things that used to be advantages for me, I have, because of the Messiah, come to consider a disadvantage. 8 Not only that, but I consider everything a disadvantage in comparison with the supreme value of knowing the Messiah Yeshua as my Lord. It was because of him that I gave up everything and regard it all as garbage, in order to gain the Messiah 9 and be found in union with him, not having any righteousness of my own based on legalism, but having that righteousness which comes through the Messiah’s faithfulness, the righteousness from God based on trust. 10 Yes, I gave it all up in order to know him, that is, to know the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings as I am being conformed to his death, 11 so that somehow I might arrive at being resurrected from the dead. 12 It is not that I have already obtained it or already reached the goal — no, I keep pursuing it in the hope of taking hold of that for which the Messiah Yeshua took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I, for my part, do not think of myself as having yet gotten hold of it; but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind me and straining forward toward what lies ahead, 14 I keep pursuing the goal in order to win the prize offered by God’s upward calling in the Messiah Yeshua.(Complete Jewish Bible)
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We've all heard the saying, "You can't take it with you." Yet many of us perhaps live as though we don't quite believe it. Even for those in the church the temptation to accumulate material things plagues our society. But I'm guessing none of us has ever seen an armored car riding low on it's suspension from the weight of the gold inside?
So what does remain? Only our relationships. However even here, the one who spends a life chasing things may on his or her deathbed; find those relationships somewhat "thin", like Scrooge with the Ghost of Christmas future from Charles Dickens,"A Christmas Carol".
The Apostle Paul knew that the heart of relationships was love. The bonds of love forged with family and friends remain. The love of God in Christ remains. Those who love us will mourn when we die. Christ who loves us will love us still in death, and through death to life anew. It is that life, that love, that hope that drove the apostle forward, pressing toward that goal which is promised also to you in Christ Jesus. Press on!
Jesus, be my goal. Deepen this day my love for you. Fill my cup with a love that sustains, a love I can share with family, with friends and even with my enemy. Amen.
Sherman Bishop, '80
Senior Pastor, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Westlake, Ohio
Philippians 3:4b If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more:
5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ.
8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.
10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death,
11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (New Revised Standard Version)
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