Paul describes his pre-conversion achievements as things he once considered great gains but later counted as loss for Christ’s sake — what accomplishments or identities in your own life might you be tempted to define your worth by, and how does that compare to the worth of knowing Christ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sermon draws a sharp contrast between culture’s definition of success and God’s definition — in what specific areas of your daily life do you find it most difficult to resist letting culture set the target you are aiming at?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paul uses the phrase ‘but now’ in Philippians 3:7 to mark a dramatic turning point in his life — have you experienced a ‘but now’ moment with God, and if so, how did it fundamentally shift what you were living for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pastor warns against the danger of believing you have ‘arrived’ spiritually, suggesting that pride and stagnation often follow — how do you personally guard against the subtle creeping in of spiritual complacency in your walk with Christ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paul says in Philippians 3:10 that he wants to know the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings and become like him in his death — why do you think so many Christians eagerly pursue resurrection power while avoiding the call to die to self, and what does that avoidance cost them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sermon uses the illustration of a toddler choosing a scooter over a new car to describe how immaturity distorts our perception of true value — in what ways might your current spiritual maturity level be affecting the choices and priorities you pursue each day?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pastor makes a bold declaration that the success of the church will not be defined by cultural expectations but by God alone — do you believe the church you attend has allowed cultural metrics like attendance numbers and influence to shape its identity, and what would a truly God-defined church look like?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paul presses on toward the goal described in Philippians 3:14, forgetting what is behind — what past failures, achievements, or identities do you struggle to leave behind, and how might holding onto them be preventing you from pressing forward?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sermon points to the ‘surpassing worth’ of knowing Christ as something that continually rises in value the more intimately you know him — how would you describe the current trajectory of your relationship with Christ, and is it deepening in value or has it leveled off?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus declares in Matthew 5 that the blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, and the persecuted — how does this vision of a blessed life challenge or even offend your current assumptions about what a successful and fulfilling Christian life should look like?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Use the following questions to personally reflect on the message, take some time to journal, or use them in a group discussion based on this message. Paul describes his pre-conversion achievements as things he once considered great gains but later counted as loss for Christ’s sake — what accomplishments or identities in your own life<\/p>\n