Phil 3:7-11 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 
We are taking a very quick look at the Letter of the Apostle Paul to the church at Philippi. As we are considering at it, let us remind ourselves that we are still dwelling upon the Grace of God in action. Grace is the fundamental aspect of our life in Jesus Christ. It is by the Grace of God that we are saved, that we are sanctified, that we are crucified, and that we are glorified. Apart from God’s Grace, we have nothing, absolutely nothing. No hope, no joy, no love, no forgiveness, no life. 
This week, let us delve into the Apostle’s statement that For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him… What is involved in this suffering for Christ’s sake and the loss of all things? Here again, we meet with the vast difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. Man does everything he can not to suffer. He fears suffering. He would rather compromise every belief, every person, every value, and every thought than to suffer. The other aspect is that mankind, in his own rights, would never deny himself any of this world’s glory. This age considers everything with an attitude of entitlement. We deserve to have as much as we can get is the mantra of this day. It doesn’t matter how we get it as long as we get everything that we think that this world owes us. All that we will that this world owes us is death.
God, however, gives us life. God looks at everything from the vantage point of giving. He gave His only begotten Son to die for us. He gave us eternal life in Jesus Christ. He gave us His Holy Spirit to direct and to guide and to comfort and to seal us until the day of redemption. He gave us His Word to be our source of knowledge and instruction in Him and in all His ways. He knew that we didn’t deserve any of this, yet He loved us with a Love that could do nothing other than give and give and give again in Jesus Christ. 
In line with this, He also knows what has to be done to bring us unto the place where His gift of life will be fruitful unto others. He makes every provision to bring us into the perfection of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the lost of this world. As He works in us, we find that our self-life is being put to death in order that the life of Christ ever more brilliantly shines forth as the source of our everything. Sure, we face that death daily. We are suffering the anguish and the heartache of being daily crucified to our selves. But that suffering is endured with our hearts and our eyes set on the perfection of Christ that is being worked in us. We consider self-denial, not with the eyes that cry over what it is costing us, in the terms of this world’s treasures, but rather in the measure of Christ that is being formed by it.
As we read the words of Christ that are recorded in Matt 16:24-27, we see the true value of the tawdry things of this world in comparison to the wealth of all that God has given us. Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done. 
To suffer the loss of all things unto the Lord is to deny ourselves in order that the life of Christ will be ever more our heritage and purpose. We deny ourselves in order that we may glorify God in all that He is doing in our lives. The world sees this as making no sense, but we see it with the spiritual eyes that are focused solely upon that which would please our Lord in all that we do.
The Apostle Paul addresses this surety from a different viewpoint as he declares in Rom 8:12-14 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh - for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 
He brings forth the relationship that we have with God in our self-denial and our complete acceptance of Jesus Christ. Because we now are brought into the family relationship as sons of God in Christ, we must see that we are no longer indebted to this world for anything. We are now indwelled and guided by the very Spirit of God Who shows us only that which will please Our Heavenly Father. And, in that service unto God and unto our brothers and sisters in Christ, we become more and more, ever increasingly aware of the fact of our sonship in Christ. We are part of the very family of God and our lives on this earth must be lived in line with that truth and no other!
Just as Christ bore our burdens and strife, so are we to learn to bear the burdens of our fellow saints, as we discussed extensively last time. As we read in Rom 15:1-3 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him. For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me." We have nothing other than Christ to offer anyone. He is exceedingly more than capable to right every wrong. He is far more than sufficient to meet each need. He is more than abundantly able to comfort the most distressed heart. When we live forth from a life that counts all things as lost in order to all the more gain the fullness of Jesus Christ, we will walk in accordance with His life and only His life. That necessitates the complete death of our selves because our self-life no longer has any claim upon us or in us. We live by the triumphant power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This brings forth the much more valuable, spiritual fruit, as we have seen in Gal 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. As we walk by the Spirit, as we are led by the Spirit, we will be more and more shown how to live for the sake of Jesus Christ and not ourselves. All that we do, all that we say, all that we accomplish we count only in terms of gaining the greater measure of the faith of Jesus Christ. What we suffer will utterly pale in comparison to the superabundant treasury of the riches of our Lord.
Consider how this was worked out in the early church, as the apostles were being tormented for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ. This is recorded in Acts 5:40-42 in reference to the inquisition of the counsel of the Jewish leadership. They were trying to decide what to do with the Apostles who were proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Please note, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for His name, and they refused to cease preaching and teaching in the name of Jesus Christ, no matter what it cost them. They were willing to lay down their physical lives for the sake of the Good News of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. There wasn’t all that poor, pitiful doom and gloom me, that so infests our self lives. They rejoiced because their eyes and hearts were focused on that which is above, rather than the reproach of this age. They willingly laid down their lives in order to reach others with the Word of truth. 
In line with this, listen to the call of the Apostle Paul as directed to the readers of His letter to Rome. Rom 8:14-18 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 
Paul makes this earthly suffering for Christ to be the very core of our walk on this earth. We are not to try to avoid it but rather to know that we are called to this for the sake of the glory of Christ that will be revealed to us. Suffering, as seen by this world, is a horrible fate that destroys us. It is regarded as something to be avoided at all costs because it takes away our earthly pleasures and treasures. But, in the Wisdom of God, He has made the anguish of this world to work as a mighty force within those who love Him. He permits our earthly suffering in order to establish an utter and complete dependence upon Him which will serve us throughout eternity. The things that we suffer are temporal, just momentary losses, but that which we gain in Christ is eternal and worth more than anything that we could ever suffer or lose on this earth. As James writes in James 1:2-4, we should see the trials, the tribulations, and the sufferings of this age as a means of God to establish our faithful testimony of complete reliance upon God. Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 
	The Apostle Paul also gives us every hope, despite anything that we suffer on this earth. It is the hope in Christ’s victory showing that God has all things well in hand, no matter how they seem to appear to us in our grief and stress. He writes those so beloved verses of encouragement to us in Rom 8:28-39 We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. Notice, in everything. There is nothing that is excluded. Paul continues, For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? Let that sink into the depths of our hearts as I repeat If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? Listen again very carefully. Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies; who is to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Again I repeat with all joy and confidence, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, "For thy sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. - we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. There is nothing that can take us out of the life that we have in Christ. He holds us and He cherishes us now and ever more. He will never let anything separate us from Him – Anything!
The Apostle Peter, as well, declares the course that we run through the suffering that we endure on this earth. He points us to the proper perspective of unto Whom it all serves to glorify. 1 Peter 5:10+11 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you. To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. This is a key truth that we must recognize, because it is that which will see us through to the end. God will restore us, no matter what we suffer on this earth. God will establish His life within us, a life more precious than all the gold and silver of this age. God is our strength through every trial and tribulation. We are not expected to do it on our own. No, we are told to rely fully, absolutely, completely, and solely on the Lord and He will see us through to the end of our earthly days and into all the eternal ages yet to come.
Our Lord never hid the fact that we would be called upon to suffer for His sake. In Matt 10:17-22, He outlines the hatred that this world will show to us because we belong to Him. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. Did you notice? Even when faced by all the hatred of this realm, we are not alone. He will give us the words to use to testify of Him. We are not to fear but to endure everything for the sake of the name of Our Lord.
The power of the darkness of this age will stop at nothing to try and silence the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ. As has been evident from the beginning of time, it will try to use all its corrupt efforts to silence those who proclaim from every mountain top the victory of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Paul dealt with this in 2 Cor 4:8-12 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. As we have already seen and need to continue to encourage one another, God has taken even the death of this world and turned it to eternal life. While this age shudders at the loss of everything, we trust Him in every trial and persecution because of the glory of God that will be seen in all the reality of Christ Jesus. We absolutely die to this world, but in that death, we gain everything in Him.
That is why we end with the challenge recorded in Rom 12:1+2 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. The Lord will work faithfully to cause us to give up everything of this earth for the sake of the life that we have in Him. We are to be a sacrifice, with its every connotation, in order that our lives will become a living worship of praise and honor and joy and glory to Our God: Father, Son, and Spirit. We must forsake every worldly desire and treasure for the righteousness and the holiness that is ours in Jesus Christ through the instruction of His Word, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We have absolutely nothing of value to lose, and everything to gain in bearing the suffering of this age that we might know Him in every depth of our body, soul and spirit.
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 
Listen once more to these last two verses as read from the Amplified Version. [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [a which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] That if possible I may attain to the [b spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. Amen

Today’s benediction is from the Song of David recorded in 1 Chron 16, verses 8-14 and 23-36 O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually! Remember the wonderful works that he has done, the wonders he wrought, the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth…. 
Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols; but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come before him! Worship the Lord in holy array; tremble before him, all the earth; yea, the world stands firm, never to be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!" Let the sea roar, and all that fills it, let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for ever! Say also: "Deliver us, O God of our salvation, and gather and save us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!" Then all the people said "Amen!" and praised the Lord.