A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): Pastor John Randall says nothing compares with knowing Jesus.

John Randall: If you were to take all of your achievements, all of your awards, all of your successes, all of your possessions, all of your wealth, all your promotions, and you were to put them on the scale and put it next to Jesus, would you be able to say it just doesn't compare? There's it just doesn't there's nothing that compares to knowing him. Because you could have all of these things and be without Jesus, in reality you have nothing. And you could have none of these things and have Jesus and actually have everything.

Guest (Male): So if you were to write down all of your accomplishments and achievements, could it really compare to knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Followers of Christ should recognize that there really is no comparison. Today on a daily walk, we'll hear what the Apostle Paul has to say about that. Yes, his credentials were impressive, but he counts it all loss when compared to knowing Jesus. We're in Philippians chapter 3 today.

John Randall: The church in Philippi it had experienced some spiritual attack from a group known as the Judaizers. And although many of these Judaizers had embraced Jesus as their Messiah, they also believed and taught that you had to hold to all forms of Judaism. And that would include keeping the dietary restrictions, the Jewish traditions, the feasts, customs, and of course the outward surgical procedure of circumcision. And they were so adamant in their conviction that they taught unless you did these things and fulfilled these requirements, you were not truly saved but deceived. And this became such a serious problem in the early church that in the book of Acts, the 15th chapter, the apostles gathered for what was called the Jerusalem Council.

And at that summit there was Barnabas as well as Paul and the apostles, and they were meeting to discuss this very issue. And when their meeting came to an end, they concluded with clear biblical direction that the Gentiles did not have to adhere to the additions that were being placed upon them, but that they were saved by grace through faith. It was a gift of God and not of the works of the law. Yet regardless of the fact that that decision had been made, it did not deter the detractors from continuing their objective in bringing these newly founded Gentile churches under their legalistic system.

And Paul therefore boldly warned the church to watch out for these individuals. They're like feral dogs, he said. They want to destroy everything in their way. And one of the ways that they would be able to discern these individuals when they came into the church was to take note of their overemphasis that they placed on their own efforts of the flesh. That is to say their achievements, their status, their accomplishments, which they cited as proof of their authority. Now in order to expose the foolishness of the false teachers, Paul will write concerning his own experience and his own personal testimony.

Because if anyone could have boasted in their background or looked to their personal pedigree, and if that were possible to achieve favor with God through their own efforts, well Paul surely would have been an individual who could have claimed that for himself. And yet what we're going to discover this morning is that for all that Paul had accomplished, everything that he had achieved, none of it compared to knowing Jesus. And so he begins by looking back at his testimony in verse 4. He said though I also could have confidence in the flesh. I mean, if anyone else thinks that he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so.

In other words, hey let's let's do let's do an exercise here. We're going to compare testimonies. These guys coming in, they think that they've got something to boast about with all their achievements. I don't like to brag. I don't even like to talk about this, but I'm going to I'm going to share with you my testimony. And you'll be able to draw the comparison. First of all, Paul lists his credentials and they were impressive. He said I was circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel. Now Ishmaelites were circumcised on the 13th day. Those who were proselytes or converts to Judaism would be circumcised later on in life.

Paul said listen, I was no convert, I was no proselyte. I was born into this. I I'm of the stock of Israel. I am a descendant of Abraham. Paul was a marked man in the truest sense of the word. And and by even making this claim, he could exceed his Judaizing opponents who probably embraced Judaism later on in life. Paul said listen, I was I was born into this thing just so you know. But that wasn't all. Paul said also I'm of the tribe of Benjamin. Now that is significant because you remember when the kingdom was divided after the reign of Solomon that there were those who sided with Jeroboam.

10 tribes, the Old Testament tells us, went to the north. Two tribes went into the south, Benjamin and Judah. Paul was from the line or the tribe of Judah. And when they had dispersed and were carried away into both Assyrian captivity and into Babylonian captivity, some of these people lost their family tree. They didn't all know where they exactly came from. They couldn't make the connection. And you remember that Benjamin was actually the son of Rachel, Jacob's wife. And of the 12 sons that were born to Jacob, which by the way represented the 12 tribes of Israel, did you know that Benjamin was the only one of the 12 that was born in the Promised Land?

The only one. Paul was from the elite tribe of Benjamin. Furthermore, when Israel wanted a king, their first king, guess where he came from? Which tribe? The tribe of of Benjamin. Of course you know this. And what was his name? Saul. What was Paul's name before it was Paul? Saul. Probably named after the first king of Israel. Furthermore, if you would look at let's say for example the book of Esther, who many of you are familiar with that story, and you look at that story of how Israel was almost annihilated. This was after they came back.

After all this happened, they're going to be destroyed. And you remember the heroes in that story, next to Esther there was one other individual who was a Benjamite. His name was Mordecai. So this is an elite tribe. Paul said you you think you have an impressed listen, I am connected to the tribe of Benjamin. The highest, an elite tribe. Almost like saying you know the pilgrim fathers of our nation, that that's who I'm related to. It was impressive. Paul furthermore said that he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews. Beyond racial connection to the tribe of Benjamin, being a Hebrew of the Hebrews was a reference to both custom and language.

In order to be considered a Hebrew, one had to know the Hebrew language and observe Hebrew customs. Because many of the Jews were Hellenized, meaning they came through the Grecian culture. And when they read the Old Testament, they read it from the Greek translation. Paul spoke the native tongue. He spoke Hebrew. He read Hebrew. He could write in Hebrew. So in fact someone said concerning Paul that he was hebraically Hebrew. That's how intense he was. And he was proud of his nationality. But that wasn't all. If you look at Paul's career path, Paul was a Pharisee.

In fact his father was a Pharisee. So he grew up in a Pharisaic home and then he ended up becoming a Pharisee himself. Just that that career path alone could have easily surpassed all the self-proclaimed false religious teachers that were coming into the church. Paul lived according to the strictest religious practice that there was. In fact of of the various Jewish sects that there were existing, the Pharisees were the most orthodox of anyone, the most disciplined. They were looked up to. They were respected in their community. And the Bible also tells us concerning Paul's training as a Pharisee that he had the unique opportunity of sitting at the feet of one of the most well-renowned Pharisees of the day, Gamaliel.

Gamaliel was so in so powerful in his presentation of the law that rabbinical writing said that Gamaliel was the beauty of the law. I mean, this is this was Paul's teacher. It's like he was discipled by this guy. I mean, Paul was being groomed really I mean his the trajectory of his career path was going to elevate him to a place that none of these men could even come close to. Paul was committed to his religion. So much so he said concerning zeal I persecuted the church. These guys think they're zealous coming in here telling you you need to undergo all the Let me just tell you about what I was like before I got saved.

I actually persecuted the church. When you go back to the book of Acts and you read Saul of Tarsus before he became Paul the apostle, you may recall the Bible says he was breathing in and out threats against the early church. That he would go into the homes of individuals who claimed to be Christians, he would pull them out of their homes, drag them away into prison. Paul was the one who voted for and held the coats of the men who stone the first martyr of the church whose name was Stephen. This is how committed he was.

Thought he was doing God a service by removing Christians in every way. He was zealous, but he did it without knowing what he was doing. And then he adds concerning the law the law of Moses I was blameless. When it came to keeping the commandments, the traditions, the rituals, Paul thought himself and others thought him to be without a flaw. He did whatever the law said. He stayed away from whatever the law forbade. And in outward form at least and an external compliance, you could say that Paul's obedience was exemplary. He was Can I say this to you?

He was the MVP, most valuable Pharisee. I mean, this is the guy. Paul was the goat. I mean, if you're going to if you're going to look at a standard like hey what should I be like a Pharisee? You want to know who the best of the best is? Just look at Paul. Model your life after him as a Pharisee and and you'll do pretty good. You'll never be able to achieve what he's done, but you know at least you'll have something to go on. So at this point, Paul in the Pauline pedigree was to say if anyone could be made righteous through efforts or keeping the law or being religious Paul could.

But listen, it was impossible. It could not be done. When Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he had letters in hand to go and prison more believers there in that community. But Jesus arrested Paul and he confronted Paul and said Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? He was persecuting the church. Jesus said you're persecuting me. And and Saul responded who are you, Lord, and what would you have me to do? I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goats. Arise, go into the city and you will be told what you will do.

And that's exactly what he did. He was blind. He had to be led by the hand into the city of Damascus where he sat and he waited for three days praying, seeking the Lord. And the Lord was ministering to him and sent Ananias to pray over him and to open his eyes. When Paul was confronted by Jesus, he realized that all of his achievements, all the accolades it was worthless. He's a big man in Jerusalem. Look how good he was. Look how respected he was. But then he was crushed. His pride was wrecked and he finally discovered that true righteousness doesn't come from being religious or being a good person.

It only came through relationship with Jesus Christ. And in warning the Philippians, he's saying listen, I've been down the whole self-righteous road. And let me just tell you it's empty. There's nothing there. You what you're seeking cannot be achieved by what you're pursuing. I've gone farther than all these haters showing up in the church. They could never go as far as I've gone. It's empty. But something changed for Paul. It says in verse 7 but the things that were gained to me these I've counted loss for Christ. Keep in mind Paul is writing this letter from prison.

It is 30 years after his conversion. And he's writing and he's saying all the things that if I was to put a profit and loss category, all the things that I thought were a profit and a gain to me, I could just list them for you. Everything I placed my hope in, everything I was chasing after, everything that I I sought to find my identity in, all of this in light of Here's what I Here's what I know now. It's nothing. It's worthless. It's I counted it as loss. That which was gained to me, I now consider to be lost to me.

It added nothing to my life. It added nothing to my walk with God. I was not made righteous by these things. Folks, what we see here is Paul's entire value system had had changed. Everything changed. His perspective, what he thought versus now what he knew, completely different. And that's what happens when you're truly converted. Everything changes. The way you see things, the way you perceive the world, the way you perceive why you're here, it changes when you come to know Jesus. Paul met Jesus and yeah yeah that's cool, you can that's fine. Before he met Jesus, he he lived a life that was full of self-righteousness.

He thought he was going to heaven because of the fact that he kept the law of God meticulously. He trusted in his heritage as a Jew. He rested in his position as a Pharisee and he reveled in all of the religious zeal. But all these things that that were at one time held in such high esteem, they had lost their appeal. All the the prior pursuits, they just seemed pointless in vain. Paul came to the realization that mere external religious ritualistic life was not sufficient to purchase his redemption. He now saw his self-righteousness that he clothed himself in as nothing but filthy rags.

Folks, I hope you know the Bible tells us that all of our righteousness it's as filthy rags. I mean it's it's disgusting is what Paul saw himself. And on that day when Paul was confronted by Jesus, there was a there was a blessed exchange, a glorious transaction where Paul chose to let go of the old life and embrace the new life in Christ. And as a result, all of the things that were gained to Paul well he now counted them as loss. And when Paul's value system changed there was a price to pay. There were some sacrifices that were made.

And you wonder well what do you mean? I mean Paul would lose colleagues, friends, opportunity, comfort, money. I mean a lot of things that were just laid out for him. I mean all of this would would be gone. And you have to wonder to yourself, here he is 30 years later writing from prison and you and you think was it really worth it, Paul? I mean do you do you really still feel that way? Look where you're at. I mean look where you're living right now. Is it worth it? And you wonder that in your mind, but you don't have to wonder whether what what Paul thought because he actually tells us what he thought.

If you look at the next verse in verse 8 indeed I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, whom I've suffered the loss of all things and I count them as rubbish, garbage, some translations dung, that I may gain Christ. The last thing Paul wanted with these Philippians to feel bad for him, you know like Paul's like yeah I suffer the loss. Like oh Paul, you suffered loss? That's so sad. We feel I mean wow, was it worth it? I mean oh I'm sorry, you had all that?

And Paul didn't want them to think that. He said I still counted all loss. This is 30 years later. And if you offered it all to me again, I would still say I don't want it. What I have found in comparison to what I had, there is no comparison. I don't want it. I I still to this day would not go back to what I had before. If you put it all in front of me and say hey listen, you have any second thoughts about this? No, none whatsoever. I am completely convinced that I made the right decision because my life is radically changed because of Jesus Christ.

And all the hardship and all the trials that came with it, Paul said what? That's garbage. It's just garbage, rubbish. You know this by the way just side note here again. This word here used only used here in the New Testament for rubbish scubalon. Scubalon. What is that? It's it's rubbish. It's garbage. It means dregs. It means refuse. It means refuse of a table or of slaughtered animals. It's the it's filth of any kind. That's how Paul saw the first, you know the the gain category now. All his personal morality, his religious piety, all of that Paul said it was garbage.

He said I counted it up. It's like he's saying I did the mathematical equation. And I just started to I just started to count it up. I started to reckon it and I I put it down. And as I was going through the equation, when Paul said I counted you know again that the New Testament was translated from the Greek. So when you go back to the language, the original language in which it was written the Greek language sometimes will present more insight. It gives you a little more idea into what's being said. It's more expressive in other words.

So when Paul writes I counted it, it's in what's called the perfect tense, meaning that Paul had past tense counted these things which were gained to him, lost for Christ in the past. And he was still counting it loss in the present. Verse 8 he says that I count them as rubbish. It's a it's means again a definite decision once for all. I counted it loss then. I counted it loss today and I still will forever count it loss and never go back to it. Friend, I wonder I wonder this morning if you see your relationship like Jesus in that way, your relationship with Jesus that nothing compares to knowing him.

Anything that this world could offer, nothing compares. The Bible says what will a man give in exchange for his soul? If he should gain the whole world and yet lose his soul, would it be worth it? The answer to that is no. There is nothing more valuable than your soul. I remember as a as a young boy learning many Christian songs. And those are the one you know they just kind of stick with you. And one of the songs that I remember learning had the lyrics and it came back to me this morning as I was just completing coming here.

It was the the lyrics the greatest thing in all my life is knowing you. The greatest thing in all my life is knowing you. I want to know you more. I want to know you more. The greatest thing in all my life is knowing you. And then the next the greatest thing in all my life is loving you. And you just go through the whole thing and serving you and loving you and knowing you. The greatest thing I could say in all of my life is knowing Jesus. If you were to take all of your achievements, all of your awards, all of your successes, all of your possessions, all of your wealth, all your promotions, and you were to put them on the scale and put it next to Jesus, would you be able to say it just doesn't compare?

There's it just doesn't There's nothing that compares to knowing him. Because you could have all of these things and be without Jesus and reality you have nothing. And you could have none of these things and have Jesus and actually have everything.

Guest (Male): Amen to that. No accomplishment or achievement can compare to knowing Jesus. That by far is the greatest thing in life. And the Apostle Paul recognized that as he penned this letter of Philippians. We'll get back to Pastor John Randall in a minute as the daily walk continues. You can hear this program again at adailywalk.org, oneplace.com, or wherever you get your podcasts. Pastor John's teachings are also accessible through our app as well. Search for Calvary South OC in the app store or Google Play. Looking for a gift to give your dad this Father's Day? Allow me to suggest Disciplines of a Godly Man by R.

Kent Hughes. This will help us guys grow in godliness through the disciplines of purity, friendship, devotion, prayer, worship, integrity, perseverance, leadership, and more. We'll send you the updated edition and order an extra copy to give to dad. It's available for the special price of $11 at adailywalk.org or call us at 877-242-0828. And thank you for helping us get the word out on stations all across the country. People today desperately need the hope and encouragement that God's word provides. And your support helps to make that possible. To donate to the ministry, please go to adailywalk.org or call 877-242-0828.

I also want to mention Pastor John is on X and Instagram. If you are too, start following him on X at PJRandall7 and on Instagram at JohnPRandall. Now let's turn back to Philippians chapter 3 for the rest of John's message, Count it all loss.

John Randall: Paul describes what he found in Jesus. Ooh, something that he was looking for that he never could find on his own. And what is that? Verse 9, look at what he found. And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ. The righteousness which is from God by faith. Again, before Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul was trusting in his own righteousness which came by his own effort, his own achievements, his own goodness. He felt that he had acquired righteousness by doing his best to keep the law.

But he was deceived. He could never be good enough to measure up to the standard of perfection that was required. No one can, by the way. We're all sinners. We've all fallen short of the glory of God. But I will say this, there are many people like Paul used to be before he got saved. They have a moral standard. They have a code of ethics, a worldview, a philosophy for living that they feel if they would keep this somehow it is sufficient that when they die, they will go to a air quote better place. Better place.

Where is that? And people describe it in different ways. He's just up there driving his truck up there in the better place. No, no he's not. I can see him up there right now water skiing on the No. No. I don't know. Uh-uh. The only way to heaven is through Christ. Listen, Paul wrote to the Galatians and he said this in chapter 2 verse 21. He said I don't set aside the grace of God. Because of course grace is what saves us. I don't set aside the grace of God. For if if righteousness came by the law, then Christ died in vain.

Guest (Male): We'll resume our series To Live Is Christ next time on a daily walk with Pastor John Randall. See you tomorrow. This program is brought to you by Calvary South OC and made possible through your generosity.