The document describes Paul reflecting on what was once most important to him and how his perspective has changed since following Jesus. Paul lists the privileges and advantages he once took pride in, such as his Jewish heritage, status as a Pharisee, and blameless record under the law. However, he now considers all of these as worthless compared to knowing Jesus. Paul's one aim is to forget the past and press on toward the goal of sharing in Christ's resurrection, chasing after Jesus who has overtaken him.

1. PHILIPPIANS 3:4b-7
If anyone thinks they have reason to trust in the flesh,
I’ve got more. Circumcised? On the eighth day.
Race? Israelite. Tribe? Benjamin. Descent?
Hebrew through and through. Torah observance?
A Pharisee. Zealous? I persecuted the church!
Official status under the law? Blameless.
Does that sound as though my account was
well in credit? Well, maybe; but whatever I had
written in on the profit side, I calculated it instead
as a loss – because of the Messiah.

2. PHILIPPIANS 3:8-9
Yes, I know that’s weird, but there’s more:
I calculate everything as a loss, because knowing
King Jesus as my Lord is worth far more than
everything else put together! In fact, because of the
Messiah I’ve suffered the loss of everything, and I now
calculate it as trash, so that my profit may be the Messiah,
and that I may be discovered in him, not having my own
covenant status defined by Torah, but the status which
comes through the Messiah’s faithfulness: the covenant
status from God which is given to faithful allegiance.

3. PHILIPPIANS 3:10-12
This means knowing him, knowing the power of
his resurrection, and knowing the partnership of
his sufferings. It means sharing the form and pattern
of his death, so that somehow I may arrive at the final
resurrection from the dead. I’m not implying that I’ve already
received “resurrection,” or that I’ve already become
complete and mature! No: I’m hurrying on,
eager to overtake it, because King Jesus has
overtaken me.

4. PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14
My dear family, I don’t reckon
that I have yet overtaken it.
But this is my one aim:
to forget everything that’s behind,
and to strain every nerve to go after what’s ahead.
I mean to chase on toward the finishing post,
where the prize waiting for me is the
upward call of God in King Jesus.

5. Sunday, October 8
CHRIST’S SUPREMACY

6. A FEW QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
What are the things by which we tend to
measure our sense of “SUCCESS” or “SELF WORTH”?
What do you consider to be the most IMPORTANT,
VALUABLE or MEANINGFUL thing about yourself?
Do you recognize the types of PRIVILEGE
you have ACCESS to & how TIGHTLY
do you HOLD them?

7. PHILIPPIANS 3:5-6
5a Circumcised? On the eighth day. Covenantal privilege

8. PHILIPPIANS 3:5-6
5a Circumcised? On the eighth day. Covenantal privilege
5b Race? Israelite. Ethnic “

9. PHILIPPIANS 3:5-6
5a Circumcised? On the eighth day. Covenantal privilege/advantage
5b Race? Israelite. Ethnic “
5c Tribe? Benjamin. Tribal ”

10. PHILIPPIANS 3:5-6
5a Circumcised? On the eighth day. Covenantal privilege/advantage
5b Race? Israelite. Ethnic “
5c Tribe? Benjamin. Tribal ”
5d Descent? Hebrew through and through. Genealogical “

11. PHILIPPIANS 3:5-6
5a Circumcised? On the eighth day. Covenantal privilege/advantage
5b Race? Israelite. Ethnic “
5c Tribe? Benjamin. Tribal ”
5d Descent? Hebrew through and through. Genealogical “
5e Torah observance? A Pharisee. Positional “

12. PHILIPPIANS 3:5-6
5a Circumcised? On the eighth day. Covenantal privilege/advantage
5b Race? Israelite. Ethnic “
5c Tribe? Benjamin. Tribal ”
5d Descent? Hebrew through and through. Genealogical “
5e Torah observance? A Pharisee. Positional “
6a Zealous? I persecuted the church! Reputational “

13. PHILIPPIANS 3:5-6
5a Circumcised? On the eighth day. Covenantal privilege/advantage
5b Race? Israelite. Ethnic “
5c Tribe? Benjamin. Tribal ”
5d Descent? Hebrew through and through. Genealogical “
5e Torah observance? A Pharisee. Positional “
6a Zealous? I persecuted the church! Reputational “
6b Official status under the law? Blameless. Religious status “

14. PROFITS
- Covenant 5a
- Ethnicity 5b
- Tribe 5c
- Genealogy 5d
- Position 5e
- Reputation 6a
- Religious status 6b
PAUL’S PROFIT & LOSS
STATEMENT LOSSES

15. PROFITS
- The Messiah
“I calculate everything as
a loss, because knowing
King Jesus as my Lord
is worth far more than
anything else all put
together!” 3:8
PAUL’S PROFIT & LOSS
STATEMENT LOSSES
- Covenant
- Ethnicity
- Tribe
- Genealogy
- Position
- Reputation
- Religious status

16. PROFITS
- Baptism by immersion 5a
- White American male 5b
- Generational wealth 5c
- White European/educated 5d
- Church/college/ministry 5e
- Was a young “up & comer” 6a
- Checked all the right boxes 6b
MY PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT
LOSSES

17. PROFITS
- Jesus
“I calculate everything as
a loss, because knowing
King Jesus as my Lord
is worth far more than
anything else all put
together!” 3:8
MY PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT
LOSSES
- Baptism by immersion
- White American male
- Generational wealth
- White European/educated
- Church/college/ministry
- Was a young “up & comer”
- Checked all the right boxes

18. PROFITS: Would you
include…
- Religious experience?
- Race/ethnic heritage?
- Family background?
- Education achieved?
- Community reputation?
- Professional achievements?
- Political perspectives?
- Size of your bank accounts?
YOUR PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT
LOSSES

19. PROFITS
- Jesus
“I calculate everything as
a loss, because knowing
King Jesus as my Lord
is worth far more than
anything else all put
together!”
YOUR PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT
LOSSES
Are you be able/willing to
consider those things as “trash”
– to put zero stock
in them re: your place with God
and other people –
compared to knowing and
declaring allegiance to Jesus?

20. A FINAL QUESTION TO CONSIDER:
If you ARE willing to consider everything else TRASH
for the sake of KNOWING and FOLLOWING Jesus,
what are you willing to DO – and what are you willing
to GIVE UP or STOP DOING – as a result?

21. PHILIPPIANS 3:12-14
I’m not implying that I’ve already received “resurrection,” or
that I’ve already become complete and mature! No:
I’m hurrying on, eager to overtake it, because King Jesus
has overtaken me. My dear family, I don’t reckon that I have
yet overtaken it. But this is my one aim:
to forget everything that’s behind, and to strain
every nerve to go after what’s ahead. I mean to
chase on toward the finishing post, where the
prize waiting for me is the upward call of God
in King Jesus.

22. Sunday, October 8
CHRIST’S SUPREMACY

23. One of the scribes…asked him,
“Which commandment is the first of all?”
Jesus answered, “The first is: ‘Hear, O Israel:
the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind,
and with all your strength.’ The second is this:
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
There is no other commandment greater than
these.”
MARK 12