To Live is Christ to Die is Gain

If you have a copy of God’s word open it up to Phil 1. I have titled the message this morning, “To Live is Christ to Die is Gain.”

Today we are no doubt in one of the most popular passages in all of the New Testament. Most people have heard the words to live in Christ to die is gain, and as we are working though the book of Philippians as a church, and I was thankful that this text landed on Easter Sunday, because for me one of the biggest questions we have to answer in this life is what are we living for? Or who are we living for?

We have all read stories about individuals taking great steps to live, in fact I read a few this week I want to share with you..

In 1998, while fishing in St. Marys Glacier, Colorado, Bill Jeracki got his leg pinned under a boulder. Snow was in the forecast, and he was without a jacket, a pack, or communication. In a desperate attempt to survive, he used his flannel shirt as a tourniquet, and then used his fishing knife to cut off his own leg at the knee joint! He used hemostats from his fishing kit to clamp the bleeding arteries. He then crab-walked to his truck and drove himself to the hospital! In 2003 Aron Ralston had a similar experience. While hiking in Utah, a boulder fell and pinned his right arm. After various attempts to get free, on the sixth day of being stuck there, he amputated his right forearm with a dull multi-tool. Exhausted and dehydrated, he then rappelled down a 60-foot cliff and hiked eight miles before finding a Dutch family who guided him to a rescue helicopter. He eventually made it to the hospital and survived.

He wrote an autobiography titled Between a Rock and a Hard Place. An appropriate title!

One man said.. What do these two stories teach us? Aside from providing some basic tips for adventure recreation, they teach us that humans will do remarkable things in order to live. We will spend money on the best doctors, take up disciplined eating habits, move to particular climates, and even cut off body parts to live.

But many of us if we are honest don’t know what we are living for until we are pressed like the peoples stories I just read you. Though the man writing this letter to the church at Philippi, the apostle Paul did.

Let me read to you the words of the text this morning, and ill unpack it for you…

Philippians 1:18–26 (ESV)

Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

Today as we examine the text I want you to truly see our our main idea this…

To live is Christ to die is gain.

The same as our title this morning… I like to provide points to go along with our main Idea and I think for us to truly know this in our heart we have to know this first… which is my first point this morning..

Living for Christ means knowing God .

why does this matter? Because knowing the end result helps us journey down the path to living for Christ and knowing death is gain.

And in Paul’s knowing he is rejoicing, what we looked at last week was we saw that he rejoiced in the fact that he was seeing the gospel spreading despite the fact that he is chains.

Now he is rejoicing knowing that no matter the outcome of his present circumstances he is good in life or death, because he knows Jesus, and he leans on him for all his comfort no matter the situation.

And he knows if there is going to be one to deliver him its going to God, and he lives with that exceptions. But he also knows that he has fellow brothers and sisters in Christ praying for him. He believed that prayer, the Spirit of God and all that had happened in his life would lead to him being saved and delivered into the next life. Now the prayers of others do not save you, but God uses the power of prayer in ways we cannot even comprehend, and Paul I believe knew the people of Philippi were praying for him, and he counted on those prayers, as well as the work God in his life. Because ultimately my friends it is the Spirit of God, and the Word of God, that causes to know him.

And Paul with eager expectation lived with the mindset that so many of us do not have, and that is whether by life or death Christ will be honored. Remember he is prison making the best of his situation making Christ known, and he knows that whatever is going to happen I know God, and that is going to get me through all this, and I know I am not going to be ashamed for how I live my life or die my death, because I am serving God.

2nd thing to note this morning is this…

Living = Christ.

Your translation might say to live is Christ, I said as our main idea to live is Christ, but honestly if you examine the greek language a better translation is For to me to Live Christ. Sounds like my three year old daughter speaking but the reality is that makes the most sense. Because for Paul he is saying everything in life is consumed by Christ. Everything is tied to Christ. I don’t know many Christian’s today including myself that are so consumed with Christ that living literally equals Christ. Its convicting because that is how it should be. Literally everything we do should equal Christ.

The term Christian came about latter in Christianity after Jesus ascended into heaven. In fact you don’t see it until Acts 11:26

Acts 11:26 (ESV)

And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

One man said… It was originally a slur, coined by the world to ridicule and mock the early disciples in Antioch. The unbelievers identified them in this slanderous way, associating them with Jesus Christ, whom they saw as a common criminal crucified upon a Roman cross. But the early church embraced this title as a badge of honor. They loved being identified with Christ.

The early Christian’s and I would assume Paul lived so much like Christ they were called little Christ’s because there whole lives were consumed with Jesus. Paul does not take this living for Christ lightly in fact he wears it as part of life. He defines it as his life. Its not just a label to him its a lifestyle. For him living=Christ.

This isn’t something private for him, he lives for Christ everywhere he goes. This is not just a thought in the book of Philippians either. In fact as I studied this week I found in a few other places. In Colossians 3 he writes this and most people think its from the same jail cell he is writing Phil from.

He says this.. Col 3:4

Colossians 3:4 ESV

4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Paul makes the assumption that Christ is your life. Not just part of it, but that he is your life. As Christians we are to let Christ be primary in all things.

Friends we show what is most important by how we live. ( Thats an Amen or ouch thing )

Paul in Galatians describes it best when he says. Gal 2:20

Galatians 2:20 ESV

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

WE live for Christ because of what he has done. He went to the cross, he died, he rose again, and by faith we spiritually ourselves identify with his death, with his burial with his resurrection, that is what we celebrate here when we do a baptism, and through that death happens to our own life and we now live by faith. We can live for Christ.

We are called to live a new life for Jesus when we die to our selves, and we must truly die in order to live. and I don’t mean die physically here to live.... I mean die spiritually, because we all have this problem and that is sin, and Jesus came so that we would not remain in it.

Paul lived as someone who was so forgiven that his true aim was to live = Christ. Paul knew that the more he lived the more his faith, and knowledge of Jesus would grow, he knew that the longer he lived the closer he would become to Jesus. He knew if he lived he got to see more people come to Christ. I have heard this many times before but you know what is different this side of heaven, is what we get to see people saved and changed by Jesus, and if you are faithful like Paul you may get to see those people whom you minister to those whom you are prayed for become followers of Jesus, and grow into his likeness. But that only happens if you live for Christ.

One man said this is how Paul’s Prison days may have looked.

This Outlook of Paul saying to live is Christ is to die is gain truly made Paul unstoppable, and I suppose it Was aggravating to his opponents! You can imagine his conversations with the guards:

Guards: "Hey, Paul, we don't like you and your Messiah. We're going to kill you.

Paul: "That'd be great! Dying is gain! Bring it on!"

Guards: "On second thought, we're going to allow you to live." Paul: "Fantastic! Living means fruitful, joyous labor!"

Guards: "Well, we're going to let you live, but we're going to make

you suffer."

Paul: "Hey, guys, I consider the sufferings of this present world not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed. It would fill me with joy to suffer for the Name!"

"Do you see the power of this perspective? Kill me? I'll be with Christ.

Let me live? I'll live for Christ. Make me suffer? I'll experience joy and get rewarded by Christ. This is the unstoppable mentality of the apostle Paul, and it can be ours as well if we treasure Christ above all things.

Could you imagine if all the believers in the world had this mindset? Could you image of everyone at Agape had this mindset.

And friends it can be your mindset if you truly believe living = Christ, but the next point makes the last point even greater.

third point today is this..

Dying=Gain

same thing in this part of the verse than the last part. The is should be missing.. For Paul as great as it was to live, death for him was the real gain.

Paul just being honest to the church at Philippi tells them. Dying is a big gain for me. In fact the worth of being with Jesus cannot even be illustrated its so great. But one man captured the thought it well. Paul realizes that death will usher him to a much greater gain. The grave will graduate him to glory. Death will deliver him into the immediate presence of Jesus Christ. Death means gain because it will usher him before the throne of Jesus Christ. Death will not be a tragedy, but a triumph. Here is the secret to living confidently as believers. The Puritan Richard Sibbes wrote:

“What greater encouragement can a man have to fight against his enemy than when he is sure of the victory before he fights?”

What is most important in heaven is not the streets of gold, nor the gates of pearl. The greatest gain of being in heaven is not even to be reunited with loved ones. The greatest profit will be to stand before Christ and behold him as he is. The glory of heaven is found in Jesus Christ himself. Death will bring Paul to the Lord Jesus Christ. What greater gain can there be than this?

I really thought the quote was helpful, because Paul is telling the church of Philippi in chains, that if die don’t feel bad for me. Don’t be sorrowful for my fate, but know this that if I die it =gain. Because I get to be with Jesus. The greatest thing about heaven is not all those who are going to be there that came before us, though many of us look forward to that the greatest thing in Heaven Jesus. Jesus is the greatest prize and he comes free to those who believe in him by faith.

Idk if you have ever been to a funeral of an unbeliever, but its the saddest thing in the world when you have people who you know will not be experiencing the ever presence of Jesus Christ, because if you are not a believer there no gain in dying… I must say that today It would be injustice to you if i did not. There is judgement coming to all people and Paul was a man saved by Jesus though he was the worst of sinners prior to Christ saving him, but he had something to look forward to and so do believers in Christ, but when you are not saved you only have wrath coming, its not all sunshine and good time if you don’t know Christ. but if you do it truly is gain. its truly gain.

Because not only do you get Jesus, but you get to escape this world, and the sin with it. Death for the Christian is the best day of their life. The grave is not sovereign, but only a servant to bring us to Christ. Do you have this confidence? Do you believe that to die is gain? If you live for Christ, then to die will be gain. However, if we live for anyone or anything else other than Christ first, death will be loss.

Ill come back to that idea in moment. because our text is not done today…

forth point is this…

Living for Christ means advancing the gospel.

Paul really has a dilemma here, because of what he just said, For him to live is Christ but to die is gain. Its better for him personally to die to be with his Lord Jesus, because if he lives he is going to have to go back to work, to continue in the ministry fruitful labor for him. But remember life for Paul = Christ. Living would be more of an opportunity for him to preach Christ, more churches to be planted, more people to pour into, but he says Idk which to choose. And really if you know Paul though his writings he knows the choice is ultimately not up to him. It rests in the hands of God. Last week I talked about perspective and man Paul’s is one we should have.

You see in the text really how hard pressed is between life and death, man when you look at the scriptures and grow in your faith its only natural to want to be with Jesus. I understand what Paul is going through Because death=gain. One Man said… This desire to be in heaven is a healthy longing for every Christian. We are strangers and aliens in this world (1 Peter 2:11). This planet is not our home. Christ has been preparing a dwelling place for us in heaven (John 14:2–3). There should be an ever growing desire within us to be in the immediate presence of Christ. There we will see him face to face. We will behold him, but not as he once was, as the humble carpenter or meek Messiah. Instead, we will gaze upon him as the glorified King and sovereign Lord over all the universe. To die is gain.

But at the same time it should be natural to want to live for Jesus. If I am honest I wouldn’t have as hard as time as Paul is in this text. I would say adios, because heaven sounds alot better to me than being here in this sinful world, but as I have aged, and as I have became a father and even a Pastor I have began to really think about how my life is not just awaiting the glory of death, but rather it is an opportunity to advance the gospel and make others ready to see Jesus for themselves.

I can advance the gospel in my home, in my church, in the world. And that is why Paul says my desire is depart and be with Christ, for that is far better, but to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.

Thats powerful isn’t it, because we talk all the time especially as Christians the importance of life, and having meaning in this life, and Paul says, its better if I stay on your account. You know I think several people when I read this this week, who have went through various trials, cancers, addictions, and how its better for them and those around them that they remained, that God used the situations in their lives to advance the gospel.

As I studied for the text all week I was reminded that their is truly a battle that happens in the Christian life, its a battle of what decision you need to make to advance the gospel. Advancing the gospel goes beyond just telling someone about Jesus, It starts there, but it fleshes out in our everyday choices that we make. God has put you where you are at to advance his gospel and Paul knew that and so he says its better for me if I stay.

So here Paul is in prison telling them Its better than I remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith. Again the perspective of Paul is just perfect. He wants to stay so people grow in their faith and joy. He wants to live to benefit others, so others grow themselves, and not only that he wants to live and serve them so people may boast in Christ.

This means he does not want to live for his own glory so they say look at Paul, he is in prison, fighting the good fight, Paul wants them to think about Jesus while he is in those chains. I have not been conformed to the image of Christ that I want to be, but I want to be so changed by him that one day people will see look at what Jesus did in Luke’s life, look what he did is Luke’s life and Paul wants people to do the same. So they will rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Life should be to advance the gospel.

Final point I want to tell you today is this…

Jesus died and rose again so we could live.

Friends I don’t want you to see your relationship with Jesus as only a get out of hell free card, rather I want you to see it as a way to truly live. Ill preach this text if a few weeks, but being Easter Sunday Its worth mentioning this morning…

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When you don’t feel like living for Christ know this...that he first came not to lord his divine power over us though he could have , he did not come to make us his slaves though he could have, he did not come to destroy us for disobdience though again he could have, no he came to die the worst kind of death on a cross, so you could in fact live. He died on the cross and rose again so you could live.

But you you can only really live if you have a realationship with him. By faith. See Jesus died the death we deserve, paying that penalty for our sin, and he rose again, thats why we are here today celebrating the fact that he is alive.

One man said.. Are you ready to die? The apostle Paul was prepared for such a departure as he sat in this Roman imprisonment. Are you ready for your time on earth to come to a conclusion, and then to stand before the Lord? There is only one way to be prepared for the reality of that future time. You must put your entire trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you were to taste death today, can you say the same as Paul, that you are ready to be with Christ? If you have never done so, I want to urge you to turn to the Lord, confess your sins, and commit your life to him.

If you have already surrendered your life to Christ, I want to encourage you to live in a way that sees death as gain. It will be through the gates of death that you will enter into the immediate presence of Jesus Christ. But if we live for self, death will be, in some measure, loss—the regret of the life we could and should have lived if only we had lived it wholeheartedly for Christ. Only by living for him, who is the object of our faith and the source of our life, will we be able to say that death is gain.

This must be our heart cry: “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” That would be a good motto to live by would it not… Jesus Christ is the only One for whom life is worth living. Every day, make the purpose of your being to live completely for him. Only then will death be a graduation to glad glory when you stand before him.

Can I have you do something as we close? I want you to answer two questions… For you today what does living mean?, and For you what does dying mean? Dont leave here today without answering those important questions let us pray…