Surpassing Value

Think about your life. All the people who mean something to you. Family. Friends. Co-workers. Neighbors. Teachers, coaches, and others who deeply influenced you. Now think about all you possess. Vehicles, clothes, guns, atvs, campers, jewelry, homes, computers and phones. All of it.

Now think about what you value most of all of those. I immediately think of my wife and boys. You probably think about your family as well. As far as earthly possessions I guess what I value most is my library of books. It has taken two and half decades to collect them. I cold not put a monetary value of them because some of them cannot be replaced.  They are no longer in print.

Now add all of it together. Relationships. Possessions. Even past or current accomplishments. Do those things hold more value and weight than Jesus does in your life?

Philippians 3:7-8 (NASB)
⁷  But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
⁸  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,


When Paul wrote the things he had gained he counted as loss, the word loss means "damaging." How could this be? Anything that can allure  us away from a love relationship with Jesus or distract us from knowing Jesus is damaging. Families can do this. So can jobs. Sports has lured millions away from Jesus.

Paul presses the point when he writes, "I count all things as loss in view of the SURPASSING VALUE OF KNOWING CHRIST JESUS my Lord." The words surpassing value means superior and more important. Knowing Jesus is superior to every other relationship. Between Spouses. Parents and children. Grandparents and grandchildren. ALL RELATIONSHIPS are inferior to a personal relationship with Jesus. Knowing Jesus is of greater worth than any possession.

In eternity a house, the latest fashions nor the most updated cell phone will do absolutely nothing for you when facing eternity. No person can help you when you stand before God in judgment except JESUS! He alone has earned the right to forgive sin and declare people righteous who have trusted Him for salvation.

Jesus is of surpassing value even if most Americans and other people around the world do not recognize it. Eternity will prove it. Today we are easily distracted and far too easily amused with lesser things. Jesus is of more worth and more weighty  than anyone or anything else in this world.
He is the most supremely valuable person, most superior reality, and the greatest blessing any person can have through salvation.

That is true whether we believe it, receive it, and live it or not. JESUS IS OF SURPASSING VALUE  COMPARED TO EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING.