Week 22 — Abiding Reorders What We Value | James Daily
Week 22 — Abiding Reorders What We Value | James Daily | Philippians 3:7–14
Full Sunday Morning Bible Class including; lesson of the day, discussions, questions and answers. Speaker: Bro. James Daily
Tension: Earthly gain vs. knowing Christ
Formation Outcome: Christ-centered ambition
Grounding Questions
• What achievements or identities are people most tempted to rely on?
• How do you know when something good has become too important?
Expository Teaching
In Philippians 3, Paul reflects on the things he once considered spiritual profit. His religious pedigree, ethnic identity, legal obedience, and personal accomplishments once gave him confidence.
But after encountering Christ, Paul says:
“Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”
This does not mean Paul’s background had no value. It means that compared to knowing Christ, everything else lost its controlling power.
Paul’s language is intentionally forceful. He counts all things as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord. The central issue is not that achievements are evil, but that they are insufficient as a foundation for life.
Abiding reorders value.
The believer begins to ask:
What helps me know Christ more deeply?
What pulls me away from Him?
What am I relying on for identity, confidence, or worth?
Paul’s desire is not merely to be religiously correct but to know Christ, share in His sufferings, and press toward the goal. His ambition is transformed by his union with Christ.
The tension is between holding tightly to what makes us feel secure and releasing everything that competes with Christ’s supremacy.
Group Discussion Questions
• Why is it hard to count former “gains” as loss?
• How does knowing Christ change what we value?
• What good thing could become spiritually dangerous if it replaces dependence on Christ?
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MacDonald Ave Church of Christ, Richmond, CA Sunday Morning Bible Class, June 7, 2026 (Rev.1)