True Value
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May 02, 2010 |
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 "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." (Philippians 3:8)
We have only one life. Thus, we cannot invest our precious lives for something that is so meaningless and valueless. In this message, let me introduce to you some patriarchs of faith who discovered what is truly most precious and devoted their lives to get it. Through their beautiful life stories, I hope you will also keep in mind once again what the most precious thing is.
First is the life of the apostle Paul.
Paul was a Jew, the elect of God, and a Pharisee who strictly kept the Law. He was born a citizen of the Roman Empire, and he studied under Gamaliel, who was the foremost scholar of the time. He had the highest qualifications physically and spiritually, and thus, he had great pride in it. He liked winning in debates with others through his knowledge, and he did not accept what was not right in his view. He was full of pride, but from the time that he met the Lord Jesus on his way to Damascus, his life changed completely. He considered all the things as rubbish that he used to consider precious and enjoy. He gained the most valuable thing, which is the eternal kingdom of Heaven. He tried all his best to preach the gospel so that other people might also reach this Heaven.
He confessed in Philippians 3:7-9, "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 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, and may be found in Him," and he gave his everything, and he counted everything he used to consider precious to be but rubbish. He gave his wealth, fame, and time, and he received harsh persecutions and sufferings joyfully if that was for preaching the gospel. Finally he sacrificed his life for the gospel.
All things on this earth will finally change and perish. But if you have Heaven in your heart, its value never changes. To the extent that the level of your faith and the goodness of your heart increase, the value of Heaven will only increase. As your soul prospers, all things go well with you, you will be healthy, and your spiritual power will increase. The more you cast away your greed, the greater the blessing you can receive from God and the greater the glory you can enjoy in Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:13-14). I hope you will advance into the most precious Heaven with all your heart, mind, and soul, being in the love of Christ who controls us.
The second is Nicodemus and the believers of the early church.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and heard about the rebirth and the secret of eternal life. He thought Jesus was a man of God, but he still had some fear left in his mind. So, he came to Jesus at night when nobody could see him. But later this Nicodemus changed completely. He openly and boldly spoke for Jesus before the Pharisees who were planning to kill Jesus. And after the crucifixion, he brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes for the funeral of Jesus.
By meeting Jesus, Nicodemus gained the truth for which he was desperately longing, and he realized the true value of life. Because this true value was so precious, he gained the boldness to say what is right is right even if it meant he could lose his high position and power, or even his life.
The same goes for the martyrs of the early church. From the resurrection of the Lord until Christianity became official in the Roman Empire in 313 AD, there had been severe persecutions against Christians. The believers had to face so many persecutions just to keep their faith, even though they didn't do anything evil. If they were caught, after being tortured they became the prey of lions or they were crucified. They encouraged one another to keep the faith. Even when they stood before ferocious lions, they accepted their death being at peace, praising God.
Third is Two Witnesses.
The Two Witnesses' ministry, which is recorded in the book of Revelation, will be unfolded during the Seven-year Great Tribulation. They constantly have the conflict in heart thinking, "Is this faith really true? Or it is the Christ that Christians are talking about? Is my faith meaningless?" They have been praying to God to show them what the real truth is and to show them the evidence. For them to accept Jesus Christ means they have to forsake everything they have in their lives in their society. Also, it is by no means something easy to be left on this earth for the period of the seven-year tribulation, risking their lives in order to preach the gospel. They will perform great power of God in their ministry and people will be afraid of them, but when the time comes they will be captured by the anti-Christ and martyred.
At one moment nearing the Seven-year Tribulation, they will come in contact with the gospel of holiness and the powerful works of God, and they will understand the true value. They will realize that Jesus Christ is the true Savior for mankind and the Messiah for whom they had been waiting. They will understand that their prayers to understand the truth are answered. Now, as they come to understand the most precious thing, they determine to give their lives for the Lord. Even when they are left on this earth for the Seven-year Tribulation, even when they are persecuted by the power of the anti-Christ, their fervor for their duty never cools down. After they fulfill their duties, they will reach a position in Heaven that is glorious to the utmost degree.
Jesus promised us, the believers, the most precious glory of Heaven by taking the sufferings of the wretched cross. Many patriarchs who received this promise of Heaven showed us an example of faith. Do not forget the glory of God the Father that will soon be revealed before your eyes. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will only march towards the true value in every moment of your lives.
For additional information or to read the message's text in its entirety, please visit Manmin Central Church on the web at (www. manmin. org), select the "English" menu, and click on "Words of Life."
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