Joyful Living Devotional - Day 28
Day 28 – Jesus Is More Than Enough!
Philippians 3:5-9 (NLT) 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 7I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
Throughout Paul's ministry, we see a persistent push from those who wanted to mix the law with grace. The Judaizers were legalistic Jewish Christians who constantly harassed the new churches Paul planted by traveling to these Gentile converts and demanding that they follow the Old Testament law, especially circumcision, to be truly saved. We saw in verse 2 that Paul called them dogs, evildoers, and mutilators. Strong and harsh words, because they were trying to add to God’s grace.
In Galatians, we sense Paul’s frustration when he writes the following in chapter three: “1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:1-6 NIV).
We see in several letters that Paul addresses these issues and sternly warns the Galatian church by asking them several pertinent questions. Paul asks, “Who has bewitched you?”—meaning, who has pulled the wool over your eyes? “What kind of spell are you guys falling for? I clearly preached Christ, and Him crucified to you. So what now? Did you receive the Holy Spirit by believing or by the works of the law? Are you guys really that dumb?” (My words, not Paul’s.) The word means unintelligent, unwise, or brutish, so “dumb” is not that far off. Paul says, "You started in the Spirit, are you now going to finish in the flesh? Was everything you have been through for nothing? Is what the Lord is doing among you by His Spirit or by the law?” I can go on, but I think we get the point, and I am sure the Galatians did as well.
Although the Philippians are dealing with a similar issue, Paul addresses it quite differently than he did with the church in Galatia. Instead of rebuking them and calling them bewitched, as he did with the Galatians, he lays out his own heritage, or spiritual pedigree, if you will, for the Philippians. It is as if people coming into the church, or those who might be coming, are challenging Paul’s credentials to speak about the law. This again shows the special relationship Paul had with them. It is like kids comparing how great their dads are, with the Judaizer claiming their pedigree, and Paul saying to his children in the Lord, "Check this out. If they think they have bragging rights, listen to this!”
Paul gives an incredible factual testimony of his own heritage and Jewish pedigree: “5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault” (Phillipians 3:5-6 NLT).
“Take that, you mutilators. Who’s the top dog now?” But then he says something so radical, so profound and earth-shatteringly transformative: “7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith” (Phillipians 3:7-9 NLT).
What would make a man call his family heritage, cultural heritage, national heritage, racial heritage, religious heritage, and moral heritage worthless? Not just worthless, but garbage! Everything else is garbage. Everything else is worthless. Compared to what? Compared to knowing Jesus! Here’s a sobering thought: “Whatever you think is more important than Jesus, you are wrong!”
Nothing should be elevated, pursued, or revered more than Christ. Not your family background, your culture, your nationality, your race, or your religious background is more important than Jesus. When you place all of these things next to Christ and compare them, you will find they are garbage, refuse, rubbish, or dung! The word could also mean sweepings, suggesting it is all just dirt swept together and tossed aside because it is worthless. Paul is saying that all the things I could brag about, and that others brag about, are simply a bunch of dirt collected together and tossed out. Compared to Jesus, these things are worthless.
“Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all he has. It is the pearl of great price by which the merchant will sell all his goods.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer
When Christ is Lord of your life, and you have placed your faith in Him, you realize that Christ is more than enough.
Prayer:
Pray that you would not forsake meeting with your brothers and sisters in Christ to serve, honor, and glorify Jesus! Pursuing Christ in community strengthens our resolve in pursuing Jesus.
Ask the Lord to show you whether you have placed anything above following Jesus. Repent if necessary. Refuse to justify any wrong priority.
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you complete clarity so that you will not find yourself trusting in your own efforts but in the grace of Christ. Don’t allow yourself to be bewitched like the Galatians.
Take a moment to worship Jesus as Lord of your life, and thank Him that He is more than enough.
Philippians 3:5-9 (NLT) 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 7I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
Throughout Paul's ministry, we see a persistent push from those who wanted to mix the law with grace. The Judaizers were legalistic Jewish Christians who constantly harassed the new churches Paul planted by traveling to these Gentile converts and demanding that they follow the Old Testament law, especially circumcision, to be truly saved. We saw in verse 2 that Paul called them dogs, evildoers, and mutilators. Strong and harsh words, because they were trying to add to God’s grace.
In Galatians, we sense Paul’s frustration when he writes the following in chapter three: “1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:1-6 NIV).
We see in several letters that Paul addresses these issues and sternly warns the Galatian church by asking them several pertinent questions. Paul asks, “Who has bewitched you?”—meaning, who has pulled the wool over your eyes? “What kind of spell are you guys falling for? I clearly preached Christ, and Him crucified to you. So what now? Did you receive the Holy Spirit by believing or by the works of the law? Are you guys really that dumb?” (My words, not Paul’s.) The word means unintelligent, unwise, or brutish, so “dumb” is not that far off. Paul says, "You started in the Spirit, are you now going to finish in the flesh? Was everything you have been through for nothing? Is what the Lord is doing among you by His Spirit or by the law?” I can go on, but I think we get the point, and I am sure the Galatians did as well.
Although the Philippians are dealing with a similar issue, Paul addresses it quite differently than he did with the church in Galatia. Instead of rebuking them and calling them bewitched, as he did with the Galatians, he lays out his own heritage, or spiritual pedigree, if you will, for the Philippians. It is as if people coming into the church, or those who might be coming, are challenging Paul’s credentials to speak about the law. This again shows the special relationship Paul had with them. It is like kids comparing how great their dads are, with the Judaizer claiming their pedigree, and Paul saying to his children in the Lord, "Check this out. If they think they have bragging rights, listen to this!”
Paul gives an incredible factual testimony of his own heritage and Jewish pedigree: “5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault” (Phillipians 3:5-6 NLT).
“Take that, you mutilators. Who’s the top dog now?” But then he says something so radical, so profound and earth-shatteringly transformative: “7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith” (Phillipians 3:7-9 NLT).
What would make a man call his family heritage, cultural heritage, national heritage, racial heritage, religious heritage, and moral heritage worthless? Not just worthless, but garbage! Everything else is garbage. Everything else is worthless. Compared to what? Compared to knowing Jesus! Here’s a sobering thought: “Whatever you think is more important than Jesus, you are wrong!”
Nothing should be elevated, pursued, or revered more than Christ. Not your family background, your culture, your nationality, your race, or your religious background is more important than Jesus. When you place all of these things next to Christ and compare them, you will find they are garbage, refuse, rubbish, or dung! The word could also mean sweepings, suggesting it is all just dirt swept together and tossed aside because it is worthless. Paul is saying that all the things I could brag about, and that others brag about, are simply a bunch of dirt collected together and tossed out. Compared to Jesus, these things are worthless.
“Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all he has. It is the pearl of great price by which the merchant will sell all his goods.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer
When Christ is Lord of your life, and you have placed your faith in Him, you realize that Christ is more than enough.
Prayer:
Pray that you would not forsake meeting with your brothers and sisters in Christ to serve, honor, and glorify Jesus! Pursuing Christ in community strengthens our resolve in pursuing Jesus.
Ask the Lord to show you whether you have placed anything above following Jesus. Repent if necessary. Refuse to justify any wrong priority.
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you complete clarity so that you will not find yourself trusting in your own efforts but in the grace of Christ. Don’t allow yourself to be bewitched like the Galatians.
Take a moment to worship Jesus as Lord of your life, and thank Him that He is more than enough.
Posted in Joyful Living Devotional