Becoming a Mature Christian: Losing Everything to Gain Christ

Sermon by Pastor Rutz, Agape Church, service of July 5, 2026. Texts: Philippians 3:7-21 and Colossians 3:5-17.

Introduction

Do you want to become a mature Christian? Many say "yes" with their mind, and sometimes with their heart, but their feet drag behind. We want more faith, to draw closer to the Lord, to love him more deeply, to obey him without holding back, and yet something in us resists. Pastor Rutz starts from this tension and walks us through two passages: Philippians 3 and Colossians 3. The goal is not to add another layer of religious perfectionism, but to learn to think the way Paul thought.

Paul writes to the Philippians: "Let those of us who are mature think this way" (Philippians 3:15). Christian maturity is not a level you decide for yourself by comparing your journey to the people sitting near you at church. It is the measure God sets for you, personally, and Paul gives us the concrete path to reach it.

Outline of the Sermon

1. Do not set your own standard of growth

2. Give up everything you boast in to gain Christ

3. Seek only one thing: to know Christ and his resurrection

4. Forget the past, run toward the goal, aim for the heavenly prize

5. Walk as a citizen of heaven, not as an enemy of the cross

6. Put off the old self, put on the new (Colossians 3)

1. Do Not Set Your Own Standard

Many Christians grade themselves: "In my church, I'm about average, that's good enough." That is your standard, not the Lord's. We are not meant to compare ourselves to others; God expects a particular kind of growth from each of us, calibrated to our own calling. What matters is reaching the measure the Lord desires for you. Can you clearly tell an unbeliever that you are a Christian? Can you speak to them about Jesus, not by reciting memorized verses, but with the joy of a heart that has touched grace? Those are the real diagnostic questions.

2. Give Up Everything You Boast In

Paul had plenty to be proud of: the tribe of Benjamin, a flawless Jewish pedigree, top-tier religious training. And yet he declares: "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:7-8). The word is strong; the Greek literally means garbage, dung.

Pastor Rutz applies this warning to our own time: we boast in our family background, our degree, our prestigious university, our resume, our network, our savings, our assets. Christian or not, when the storm hits (illness, an accident, a family conflict, the unexpected), the reflex is the same: lean on your intelligence, your money, or your connections. But as long as you hold tightly to those props, Jesus cannot truly become your everything. Paul had more to lose than most of us do, and he let it all go to gain Christ.

"Giving up everything" does not mean quitting your job or giving away your assets. It is a matter of the heart, and of priority. The Lord, to whom everything he has entrusted to you already belongs, may one day ask you to direct your resources or your gifts toward a specific place. The question is: is your heart already ready to answer "yes, Lord"? If you keep one area in reserve that you refuse to hand over to him, God cannot lead you freely according to his plan.

3. Seek Only One Thing

"I now have only one thing in view: to truly know Christ, to experience in my life the power that raised him from the dead, to know what it means to suffer with him and to die with him" (Philippians 3:10, paraphrased). Knowing Christ comes through studying the word, through worship services, through prayer, but also through daily practice: choosing according to the word rather than according to the world's standards, obeying in today's small decision. That is where the power of the Holy Spirit, the very power that raised Jesus, becomes a personal experience. Your God stops being "someone else's God"; he becomes your God, who speaks to you, who walks with you.

4. Forget the Past, Run Toward the Goal

"I do not claim to have already reached the goal, but I do one thing: forgetting what lies behind, I press on toward what lies ahead, to take hold of the prize of God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14, paraphrased). Paul himself admits he is not perfect, that he still has more to learn. But he pours all his energy into one point: running. He runs because God has prepared for his servants, in the kingdom of heaven, a reward beyond anything we can imagine.

The pastor insists: what we offer God is tiny, next to nothing. But God takes that poverty and turns it into treasure. He forgets nothing of what you have placed in his hands. What matters is not your worldly success (how many Christians confuse blessing with social promotion), but the question: are you a man, a woman, after God's own heart?

5. Citizen of Heaven, Not an Enemy of the Cross

Paul weeps as he writes: many walk around calling themselves Christians while being enemies of the cross. "Their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things" (Philippians 3:19). Even today, in our churches, there are "Christians" who lean on what the world praises (status, reputation, money, success) and who, at heart, stand opposed to the cross. The pastor recalls a sobering word: whoever bore the name of Christian without belonging to Christ faces an even heavier judgment.

But "our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20). We are waiting for Jesus, who will transform our body of humiliation into a body of glory.

The Story of the Young Ethiopian Man

The pastor tells of a video he watched the night before: a Japanese YouTuber meets, in a slum in Ethiopia, a thin young man, orphaned since he was fourteen, who lives in a tin shack. His room is the size of a mattress. Two garments hanging on a line. Nothing else. He earns the equivalent of about 9,000 yen a month, 4,000 of it going to rent. Asked, "Are you happy?", he answers with a radiant smile: "I am happy because God walks with me. My body, my life, the people I meet, everything is a gift from God." Ethiopia received the gospel very early, through the eunuch of Queen Candace (Acts 8). Fourteen centuries later, faith still shines there like a diamond in a slum.

We, in France or in Japan, live in abundance, and yet we keep saying, "I'm missing this, I need that." God is watching every Christian in the world. Who is truly his child? Let us become genuine Christians, not Christians in appearance only.

6. Put Off the Old Self, Put On the New (Colossians 3:5-17)

Concretely, what does a mature Christian's life look like? Colossians 3 says it plainly:

• Put to death what belongs to the old nature: sexual immorality, sinful passions, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
• Put away anger, hatred, slander, abusive speech, and lying.
• Put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
• Bear with one another and forgive each other, just as Christ forgave you.
• Above all, put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
• Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.
• Be thankful; let the word dwell richly in you; encourage one another through psalms and hymns.
• "Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

The pastor suggests copying this passage out by hand, posting it somewhere visible, reading it again every morning, and letting these words mark your heart before the day begins.

Key Takeaways

• Christian maturity is measured by God's standard, not yours or your church's.
• What holds you back is often your own pride, the very thing you mistake for a blessing.
• Knowing Christ, experiencing the power of his resurrection, entering into his suffering, that is the one goal.
• Forgetting the past and running means looking ahead, aiming for the heavenly prize, not earthly recognition.
• The true proof of a Christian life is not success; it is a heart that resembles Christ's.

Personal Application

• What "standard" do you use to evaluate your Christian life: your own, the people around you, or the Lord's?
• Name three things you take pride in. Are they rubbish to you compared with knowing Christ?
• Is there an area (money, time, a relationship, an ambition) that you refuse to hand over to God?
• Can you speak simply about Jesus to an unbelieving coworker, with genuine joy rather than a rehearsed speech?
• Which verse from Colossians 3:5-17 will you copy out by hand and meditate on this week?

Verses Cited

• Philippians 3:7-21, counting everything as loss to gain Christ.
• Colossians 3:5-17, putting off the old self, putting on the new.
• Acts 8:26-40, the Ethiopian eunuch, the first Gentile touched by the gospel (the pastor's contextual reference).

FAQ

Is the pastor really asking us to give up everything, money and career included?

No. He states clearly that "giving up everything" does not mean quitting your job or giving away all your savings. It means handing over to God your heart, your priorities, and his sovereignty over these areas. If the Lord does ask for a specific action one day, a heart that fully belongs to him will know how to obey.

How do I know if I am really growing?

According to Paul, the surest sign is not your religious performance but your mindset: does it resemble Paul's in Philippians 3? Do you aim for Christ as your only treasure, or are you still leaning on other supports? Growth also shows in your ability to speak simply about the Lord to an unbeliever.

What should I do when I fall and look more like the "old self" than the new one?

The pastor reminds us that we are weak and that we often stumble. The Holy Spirit never stops lifting us up, whispering, "You're straying from the path, come back." What matters is taking hold of his outstretched hand and getting back on the road. What becomes dangerous is deliberately pushing him away to follow your own plans.