SGA Grace Baptist ch radio 40 5-15-98

GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

RADIO MESSAGE

WHAT IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WORTH TO YOU?

Don Fortner

What is the Lord Jesus Christ worth to you? Our Lord tells men plainly to sit down and count the cost of true discipleship. He said, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be mv disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple...So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26, 27,33). What is the Lord Jesus Christ worth to you? I know that the vast majority of people see no real value in the Lord Jesus. Many of you have a little respect for Christ and place some value upon him. You are willing to have Christ, and even to make some sacrifices for him. Some of you place much value upon Christ. He is a very important part of your life. And you would sacrifice much for him. But some of you are true believers, true followers of Christ. To you "Christ is all". You so love him that you would willingly give or do anything for him. He is not just a very important part of your life. Christ is your life.

What is the Lord Jesus Christ worth to you? To the Apostle Paul, Christ was worth everything. This is what he said, and this is what he did. "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I counted all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Phil. 3:7-8). Would you truly know Christ? Then you must count all things but loss for him.

This spiritual knowledge of Christ will be a PERSONAL knowledge. I cannot know Christ through another person's acquaintance with him. No, I must know him myself. I must know him by my own heart's personal experience. It will be an INTELLIGENT knowledge. I must know him, not by visions and dreams, but as the Word reveals him. I must know his natures, divine and human. I must know his offices, his attributes, his works, his shame, and his glory. I must meditate upon him until I "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge" (Eph. 3:18-19). It will be an AFFECTIONATE knowledge of him. Indeed, if I know Christ at all, I must love him. An ounce of heart-Imowledge is worth a ton of head-learning. Our knowledge of Christ will be a SATISFYING knowledge. When I know mv Savior, my mind will be full to the brim, I shall feel that I have that for which my soul pants at the same time, it will be an EXCITING knowledge. The more I know of my Beloved, the more I will want to know of him. The more I have, the more I shall want. Like the miser's money, my treasure in Christ will make me covet more of him. To conclude, the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ will be a most HAPPY knowledge. It is so elevating that it will carry me up above my trials, and doubts, and sorrows. Such knowledge will cause me to rise up above my earthly cares. It will cover me with the immortality of the everliving Savior. It will strengthen me with his eternal joy. Come, my soul, let me count everything but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.

Don Fortner, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church
Danville, Ky.

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