Living for What Matters Most
Philippians 3:7–14 ESV, Matthew 13:44, 2 Corinthians 4:3
The Kingdom of God is not always obvious—it is a hidden treasure, often overlooked by those distracted by what is visible and immediate. Yet those who truly see it recognize its unmatched worth and respond with wholehearted pursuit.
When we truly see the surpassing worth of Christ, we stop treating Him as an addition to our lives and begin reordering everything around Him. The hidden treasure of the Kingdom leads us to release lesser things, pursue Jesus wholeheartedly, and live with eternal clarity.
The Greatest Treasure Is Knowing Christ
Paul keeps going in verse 8: “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”
That is strong language. Paul says the things he once used to build his life are rubbish compared to gaining Christ. He’s not being careless with words. He wants us to feel how completely his value system has been changed.
Then he says in verse 9 that he wants to “be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ.”
This is the center of the Christian life. Paul is no longer trying to stand before God holding up his own record. He isn’t presenting his accomplishments, his heritage, his effort, his sacrifice, or his moral improvement as the basis of his acceptance. He wants to be found in Christ.
That phrase is beautiful: “found in him.”
There is safety there. There is rest there. There is freedom there. To be found in Christ means your life is hidden in Him. Your standing before God is not built on your best day or destroyed by your worst day. You belong to Jesus by grace through faith.
And then Paul says in verse 10, “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” Paul’s great aim is knowing Christ. He doesn’t say his greatest treasure is influence for Christ, usefulness to Christ, ministry success because of Christ, or blessings from Christ. Those things may come, but Paul’s heart is fixed on Christ Himself.
This is where many of us need to slow down.
Because we can appreciate Jesus for what He gives while neglecting the gift of knowing Him. We can want peace, forgiveness, help, provision, direction, and protection, and those are good things to bring to Him. Scripture invites us to bring our needs to the Lord. Yet Paul is showing us something deeper than receiving help in a hard moment.
He wants Christ.
He wants to know Him in resurrection power. That means Paul wants the life of Jesus to be at work in him, changing him from the inside out, bringing what was dead to life, strengthening him beyond what human effort can produce. And Paul also wants to know Christ in suffering. He understands that closeness with Jesus will sometimes mean walking through hardship with Jesus, being shaped by Jesus, and becoming more like Jesus in places he would never have chosen for himself.
That’s hard for us because many of us measure God’s nearness by how quickly He removes difficulty. If life gets easier, we assume God is close. If life gets harder, we wonder if He has stepped away. Paul had a different understanding. He had met the risen Christ, and he knew that Jesus could be known deeply in prison cells, painful losses, misunderstood obedience, and costly faithfulness.
For us, this means the treasure of the Kingdom is not merely a better life according to our preferences. The treasure is Jesus Himself. Knowing Him. Being found in Him. Walking with Him. Becoming like Him.
So it’s worth asking: Do I mainly want Jesus to improve the life I’ve already chosen, or am I willing for Jesus to become the treasure around which my life is rearranged?
That question reaches into ordinary places. It reaches into how we pray. It changes our prayers from only, “Lord, fix this,” to also, “Lord, form me here.” It reaches into how we read Scripture, because we’re not just looking for a verse to get through the day, we’re coming to meet the God who speaks. It reaches into worship, because we’re not just singing songs that make us feel better, we’re giving honor to the One who is worthy. It reaches into obedience, because we’re learning to trust that closeness with Christ is better than the temporary relief of doing things our own way.
The greatest treasure is a Person. His name is Jesus.
At the end of the day, we do everything we could ever do on everything that matters to us. Does Jesus our ultimate treasure really matter to us?
Are we 'Living for What Matters Most?'
When we truly see the surpassing worth of Christ, we stop treating Him as an addition to our lives and begin reordering everything around Him. The hidden treasure of the Kingdom leads us to release lesser things, pursue Jesus wholeheartedly, and live with eternal clarity.
The Greatest Treasure Is Knowing Christ
Paul keeps going in verse 8: “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”
That is strong language. Paul says the things he once used to build his life are rubbish compared to gaining Christ. He’s not being careless with words. He wants us to feel how completely his value system has been changed.
Then he says in verse 9 that he wants to “be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ.”
This is the center of the Christian life. Paul is no longer trying to stand before God holding up his own record. He isn’t presenting his accomplishments, his heritage, his effort, his sacrifice, or his moral improvement as the basis of his acceptance. He wants to be found in Christ.
That phrase is beautiful: “found in him.”
There is safety there. There is rest there. There is freedom there. To be found in Christ means your life is hidden in Him. Your standing before God is not built on your best day or destroyed by your worst day. You belong to Jesus by grace through faith.
And then Paul says in verse 10, “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” Paul’s great aim is knowing Christ. He doesn’t say his greatest treasure is influence for Christ, usefulness to Christ, ministry success because of Christ, or blessings from Christ. Those things may come, but Paul’s heart is fixed on Christ Himself.
This is where many of us need to slow down.
Because we can appreciate Jesus for what He gives while neglecting the gift of knowing Him. We can want peace, forgiveness, help, provision, direction, and protection, and those are good things to bring to Him. Scripture invites us to bring our needs to the Lord. Yet Paul is showing us something deeper than receiving help in a hard moment.
He wants Christ.
He wants to know Him in resurrection power. That means Paul wants the life of Jesus to be at work in him, changing him from the inside out, bringing what was dead to life, strengthening him beyond what human effort can produce. And Paul also wants to know Christ in suffering. He understands that closeness with Jesus will sometimes mean walking through hardship with Jesus, being shaped by Jesus, and becoming more like Jesus in places he would never have chosen for himself.
That’s hard for us because many of us measure God’s nearness by how quickly He removes difficulty. If life gets easier, we assume God is close. If life gets harder, we wonder if He has stepped away. Paul had a different understanding. He had met the risen Christ, and he knew that Jesus could be known deeply in prison cells, painful losses, misunderstood obedience, and costly faithfulness.
For us, this means the treasure of the Kingdom is not merely a better life according to our preferences. The treasure is Jesus Himself. Knowing Him. Being found in Him. Walking with Him. Becoming like Him.
So it’s worth asking: Do I mainly want Jesus to improve the life I’ve already chosen, or am I willing for Jesus to become the treasure around which my life is rearranged?
That question reaches into ordinary places. It reaches into how we pray. It changes our prayers from only, “Lord, fix this,” to also, “Lord, form me here.” It reaches into how we read Scripture, because we’re not just looking for a verse to get through the day, we’re coming to meet the God who speaks. It reaches into worship, because we’re not just singing songs that make us feel better, we’re giving honor to the One who is worthy. It reaches into obedience, because we’re learning to trust that closeness with Christ is better than the temporary relief of doing things our own way.
The greatest treasure is a Person. His name is Jesus.
At the end of the day, we do everything we could ever do on everything that matters to us. Does Jesus our ultimate treasure really matter to us?
Are we 'Living for What Matters Most?'
Topics:
Hidden Treasure, Ultimate, Jesus