The Surpassing Value of Knowing Christ
Knowing Jesus Christ is the Greatest Value
Before being called into full-time vocational ministry, I earned my living as a salesman. I've sold many different products. I was involved in retail and door-to-door sales. Sometimes sales people get a bad reputation. Honestly, much of that is perfectly warranted. The fact is, that there are many methods used by sales people to influence customers to purchase their products. Some of those methods are rightfully viewed negatively by the general public!
Something I learned early in my sales career was crucial to my success. It was the principle of how a sale is actually made. Once this principle is understood, you can begin to understand why all of the various methods and techniques employed by sales people either work or don't.
The principle is easily understood. It happens in each sales situation. Often without us ever realizing that it has happened.
There are two major factors involved:
Cost; and
Value.
Cost & Value
If you imagine a scale, with each item on opposite ends (i.e. Cost on one side and Value on the other), a sale is made as soon as Value outweighs Cost. The sales persons major responsibility in making sales is to raise the weight of the Value and diminish the weight of the Cost to the consumer.
Simple in theory. More difficult in practice. The reason for the difficulty is often related to the subjective nature and personality of each individual. We all weight Value and Cost differently. It would be a mistake to think that Cost = Price. While Price remains constant (e.g. $100.00), the actual Cost associated with that Price varies. $100.00 "costs" less to a multi-millionaire than it does to a homeless person. Much more is associated with Cost than you may initially think. It includes price, in addition to many other facets that affect a persons comfort, emotions, intellect, will, and relationships.
Similarly, Value is not simple to quantify. Many different factors contribute to Value. Sentimental reasons, too. The value of simple items may be drastically different between two individuals. Consider a baseball for sale at an estate sale. For one person, this item may have no more value than 25 cents. For another person, the Value may be priceless if this simple item has tied to it sentimental Value from fond memories of throwing this particular baseball around with a loved one that has recently passed away.
You may not think about this much. But this process is happening all the time in your life whether you realize it or not. When you weigh decisions, Value and Cost are often being weighed and driving your behavior. Understanding these principles can help you to discern why people often act the way that they do (yourself included!). It also explains why so many "high pressure" and "hard sale" techniques are consistently applied. The method itself (coming from an obnoxious sales person) actually drives up the Value of doing whatever they are asking you to do simply so that they will leave you alone. This is highly valuable to the person who is being subjected to their sales techniques.
Counting the Cost to Follow Christ
You may be thinking that this is an odd topic for a ministry blog. As a former sales person I see these same techniques being employed in the professing Church on a regular basis. Many professing Christians have turned Jesus into just another commodity. They are attempting to "sell" Him to the public using these same techniques employed by the world. In order to "make the sale" and bring someone to Jesus, they treat them like any other consumer. They begin trying to raise the Value of being a follower of Jesus while simultaneously downplaying the Cost.
You'll see this technique employed in books, on Christian radio and television programs, and in pulpits all across North America. Jesus is preached and taught as a "life enhancer" and a highly valuable one at that.
He will make everything better! And all you have to do is say a prayer! It really is that easy!
These manipulative strategies are trying to sell you a version of Jesus that is easy and convenient. A pocket Jesus. A version of Christ that is safe and doesn’t demand much of us. Don’t fall for a fake, golden calf version of Jesus!
The Invitation Christ Gave Was Different
What's interesting to me is that Jesus used a completely different technique than the world does. If you read through the Gospels you'll see Jesus very often doing the exact opposite of what any good sales person would do. Jesus often drives up, not the Value, but the Cost of following Him!
Pick up your cross and follow me.
You might get rejected by the people closest to you.
Die to yourself and live for God.
Contrary to how easy many people make it seem, Jesus' pitch was pretty simple: Follow me. It will cost you everything.
So, was Jesus just the worst salesman who ever lived?
I don't think so. He was still making use of the same principle. His purpose in trying to dissuade people from following Him by driving up the Cost was a simple and effective method. It demonstrated to everyone that those who chose to follow Him really understood the Value of a relationship with Christ. They knew who He was and what He was offering in the gospel.
When I was in door-to-door sales, my product had a return policy that allowed all of my customers to return their merchandise for a full refund within a certain period of time. This policy was based on state law. It was intended to protect consumers from high pressure sales techniques. Essentially, the consumer could purchase your item simply to get you out of their house. Then return the item within 72 hours with no penalty. Although I was never a high pressure salesman, I still knew that buyers remorse could set in. After sleeping on it, my customers might change their mind if the Cost shifted and once again out-weighed the Value I'd demonstrated to them. So, I would often begin trying to talk all of my customers out of buying my product from me to be sure that the Value had really been built. I wanted it to endure after I left! I had very few returns, by the way.
To those who have been awakened by the grace of God to the true Value of knowing Christ, losing everything else is no Cost at all. As a result, Jesus often ratcheted up the Cost to the point where it surpassed the Value of those whom He was speaking to. He demonstrated that they were coming to Jesus for the wrong reasons.
Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:21-23)
The Surpassing Value of Knowing Christ Jesus
To know the surpassing value of salvation, of reconciliation with God, having an inheritance in the Kingdom of His beloved Son, and having our iniquities, transgressions and sins removed and the wrath of God along with it, is of infinitely greater Value than every other relationship, personal comfort, and promise of material prosperity combined! The Value of knowing the true and living God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent is worth more for the child of God than to gain the whole world. Therefore, when Jesus drove up the Cost, He knew exactly what He was doing: testing the individuals understanding of the Value of Christ and entering into His kingdom.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46)
These worldly techniques of bringing the world to Jesus as a “life-enhancer” appeals to many who are uncomfortable, lonely, depressed, and disillusioned with the brokenness of this world. Many “decisions for Christ” have been recorded as a result of promises that Jesus “will cure what ails ya.” Unfortunately, many bitter and critical former followers of Christ have also been the result of these worldly sales techniques. They feel that Jesus failed to deliver on the promises of worldly happiness and comfort that they were offered by people in His name.
Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me." (Matthew 10:34-40)
Are You Following Jesus for the Right Reasons?
So, what about you?
Are you a follower of Jesus? If so, why? Are you a follower of His because you view Him as a life enhancer and hope that He will give you material comfort and prosperity in this world which is passing away?
Or have your eyes been opened to the reality of who Jesus is and what He's offered to you through His death, burial and resurrection? Do you understand that Jesus is not a life-enhancer, but is instead the life-giver? (Don’t miss our video on what Jesus meant when He said He came to give His followers abundant life!)
When Jesus drives up the Cost of following Him, our response to Him and His call demonstrates our understanding of His Value in our hearts more than our words do (Mark 7:6-9).
Pick up your cross and follow Me.
Have you picked up your cross today? Are you seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?
Are you serving the True and Living God?
Or are you asking the Lord to serve you and your agenda?
I know that sometimes I'm guilty of praying Lord, your will be done, while really meaning Lord, let my will be done. What about you? If you want to learn to pray according to the priorities that Jesus taught, you will love our book on prayer.
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11)
Oh, Lord, that we would know the surpassing value of knowing You and being known by You! Deal with us, not according to our deeds but according to Your mercy and for Your name's sake. Lead us, and make us a people that readily acknowledge You as Lord, rely solely on Your grace, and walk with You in humility and love. Amen.
