It's the kind of story that's so ridiculous, so sadly comic, it just can't be true...but it is. Last fall, a man in Pittsburgh asked for change at a supermarket on a $1 million bill. Not exactly a criminal mastermind, this poor fellow apparently didn't realize that no supermarket would have that sort of cash on hand, or that the largest US bill in circulation is a C-note ($100 bill). He was soon arrested.
Of course, not all counterfeits are that easy to spot. In our series on knowing Jesus (based on Philippians 3), we've looked at two counterfeit forms of faith that far too many of us fall for. There's legalism, a reliance on rules and rituals in place of real relationship. There's compromised, carnal Christianity, trying to enjoy the life of the flesh while maintaining an outward pretense of faith. Both are tempting. Both keep us from experiencing the fulness of really knowing Christ.
This week, we get to the good stuff. As the song says, there ain't nothing like the real thing, and in Philippians 3:4-14, Paul shares from his heart about the best thing that ever happened to him. It's so good, so important, we'll spend two weeks on this passage. This week, we'll look at vv. 4-11 and explore four things that you and I should be experiencing if our Christianity is a relationship, not merely a religion.
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Dear Pastor Jeff,
My name is Marilyn Garcia and I work for Buckner International (www.buckner.org). Currently, Buckner is in collaboration with Kid's Hope USA in Texas. We help to share the story of Kid's Hope to churches. I am officed in Houston and would love to sit and visit with you more about what Kid's Hope USA offers. My email is magarcia@buckner.org, and phone is 713-278-9213 EXT 2228. Blessings
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