A life that treasures Christ is evidenced by three things: having no fear, steadfastness in faith, and a willingness to suffer for Christ. The document provides biblical examples of people who demonstrated each of these, such as Peter not fearing imprisonment and Paul enduring suffering for the gospel. It is important for Christians to treasure Christ because he first treasured us by choosing and redeeming us as his people.

1. Treasuring ChristAnd what that looks like.

2. The kingdom of God should be counted as a treasure in out hearts. (Matt. 13: 44-46)

3. Definition: To count Christ as such a joythat nothingelse bares any preeminence in our hearts other than him. (Phil. 3: 1-16)  Key ScriptureAlt. Definition: To Place Christ as such a value that we would give everything we have and even suffer in everything in order that we might be fully satisfied in him.

4. Treasuring himThree evidences of a life that treasures Christ.

5. 1) To have nofear.A life that treasures Christ does not fear loss of anything. We should be so satisfied in Christ that fear would not so much as cause us to tremble. (Matt. 8: 20-26; Matt. 10:28; Phil. 3: 5-7)Examples:Peter (Acts 4 & 5)JohnPaton

6. “Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.”-Paton-John Paton

7. 2)Steadfastness in ChristA life that treasures Christ does not waver or regress. It does not shake, it does not falter, but rather, it stands like a house built on a firm foundation. When the winds come and the waves crash, it remains steadfast. (Psalm 1; Matt. 7: 24-27; Luke 9: 58-62)Examples:The apostles (Acts 5: 42)WilliamWilberforce

8. William wilberforce“It is necessary to watch him as he is blessed with a very sufficient quantity of that Enthusiastic spirit, which so far from yielding that it grows more vigorous from blows”-an enemy-

9. 3) Willingness to suffer for thenameA life that treasures Christ will for him. It’s that simple, it is not easy to follow after Christ. Trials do and will come, the end. Therefore, it is important how we maintain and handle ourselves as we go through them, that is will we collapse or by the grace of God shall we stand up under them, proving our faith to be sure. This is the ultimate test of a Christ-treasuring life; that we might find joy in the one who was and is and is to come even in the most treacherous of trials. (2 Cor. 13:5, James 1:2-4, 1 Pet. 1: 6-9, Luke 14: 25-33, John 15: 18-20)Examples:The apostles (Acts 5: 40-42)Paul (Phil. 3: 4-11, 2 Cor. 11: 24-27)

10. Acts 5:40-42“and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. “

11. Phil. 3: 4-11though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

12. Why is this action of treasuring Christ so important or necessary?The answer: We should long to treasure Christ, because he has already treasured us and made us his own. (Phil. 3:12, 1 Pet. 2: 9, Deut. 7: 6-7, Titus 2: 11-14, Col. 1: 27-29)

13. Phil. 3: 12“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

14. Deut. 7: 6-7"For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you”

15. 1 Pet. 2:9“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

16. Discussion QuestionsWhich one of the three evidences of a Christ-treasuring life is least prevalent in your life?What are some steps you can take to help let this evidence show in your own life?How will you take what you have learned with you to school tomorrow and furthermore into the rest of your lives?