Is to Live Christ?
What's your worldview? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewWhat are you willing to do for Christ?
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Introduction: Just as last week let’s take a look at a viewpoint. A viewpoint that is becoming harder to hide. A viewpoint that is getting more people killed than ever before. A viewpoint that each one of us may be forced to make public some day. It would be best to know how to respond when that time comes rather than to wait and see what happens. This viewpoint is a simple one, what do you believe? Or more precisely in whom do you believe? Do you believe in the Lord Jesus or don’t you? Are you willing to publicly confess that you believe? Millions have died as a witness of their faith. Will you be willing to?
Shortly after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus a man named Saul began a time of persecution toward the brand new church which is still going on today. Later this same Saul had a powerful conversion experience from the Jewish faith to the Christian faith. This experience led him to become a great evangelist for the infant church. This man Saul became known as the apostle Paul. He planted new churches and discipled new believers so they would be able to stand on their own in the hostile Roman culture of the first century. Along the way he too was persecuted for his faith, he was beaten, stoned and imprisoned numerous times. He endured it all because of the faith he had in His Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.
Fast forward almost two thousand years and the Christian faith is still moving forward, helping the lost find a saving knowledge in Christ Jesus. Unfortunately, that same persecution which Paul began and suffered through is still very present for Christians today.
Because of this persecution a lot of Christians have been murdered for their faith. They are murdered because they will not recant their faith or deny their Lord and Savior. Depending on the organization you check with anywhere from 5,000 to 100,000 Christians are martyred each year as a witness for Christ Jesus. Exactly how many doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it is real and it is getting worse.
The question is how prepared for the persecution are you? The apostle Paul was prepared for it - before his conversion he was the worst persecutor of the infant church. His devotion to Christ Jesus strengthened his character to the point where he said to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Transitional sentence: What about you? Can you say that to live is Christ and to die is gain, and really mean It? So let’s take a look at this passage and see what is going on that would cause Paul to say such a thing.
So let’s read Philippians 1:12-24
So what’s the Story? What brought Paul to the point where he would make this statement?
a. Paul’s situation Acts 28:16
16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.
b. The Gospel is being preached - less fear - Would you have more courage if leaders were imprisoned?
c. Groups are preaching
Envy and Strife - take away Paul’s popularity
Good will - For the sake of Christ
d. Is Christ proclaimed in what you do? Phil 1:20
20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
Do your friends and co-workers know you are a Christian? That could point to your worldview.
2. So let’s take a look at Paul’s statement Phil 1:21
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
For to me, this is a very personal statement, however, it points to all of us, where do we stand.
a. To Live is Christ - No other reason to live but to exalt Christ (fruitful labor)
No attachments, No worries, No fear, Only 1 Passion
What does it take to feel that way?
Be content in all things Phil 4:11 -12
11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
b. To Die is Gain - We get to be with Jesus!!
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
There’s a problem here thou. You have to believe in Jesus. You have to believe that He is who the Bible says He is. You must have faith to know you will be with Jesus when you die.
However, this knowledge creates a struggle:
23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
Die and be with Jesus -
Or:
24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
Or stay on in the flesh to continue having fruitful labor among them.
Which would you choose? Die and be with Christ or live and continue on in this life? What would happen if you continue to live? Would your work be fruitful for the Lord or will you work to grow your own kingdom?
3. So, what’s the point? How many of us can say “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Let me tell you a story about five men who believed that dying would be better than living if they had to hurt someone else to stay alive. Many of you may know this story, many of you may not.
These five men were Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCulley, Pete Fleming and Roger Youderian.
Later in Jim Elliot’s journal this entry was found: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
How many of you would be willing to do that? The thing he could not keep was his life. None of us can keep our lives. It will come to an end. Sooner or later these bodies of flesh cease to function. But, there is always what comes after that must be considered? That what happens next is the destination of our eternal soul.
The thing Jim Elliot gained which he could not loose was his life in Christ Jesus. Eternal life with God through faith in the saving grace of Christ Jesus.
If you need a more recent example look to any of the mass shootings that have happened in this country in the last 20 or so years. Begin with the shooting at the Columbine high school where multiple people were asked if they believed in Jesus and then were killed when they bore witness to the truth. It’s real and it’s serious.
Exit: So what’s your viewpoint? Do you believe in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior? If you do you may be called upon one day to bear witness. That witness may bring about the termination of your time here in this mortal shell. Will you exalt Jesus or deny Him?
Jim Elliot and the others died rather than defend themselves. They had rifles at hand, they could have defended themselves, but they chose to give up what they couldn’t keep to gain what they couldn’t lose.
The apostle Paul struggled over continuing to live and glorifying Jesus through fruitful labor or dying that he might actually go and be with Jesus. Jesus was his everything, oh, that we could all be as Paul. Oh, that we could all be so single minded that to “live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Of course this struggle will only be for those who believe in the Lord Jesus. For those of you who do not yet believe there is still time. However, God will not wait patiently forever. There will come a time when there is no more time to make a decision. We are all sinners in need of a Savior and Christ Jesus is that Savior. Call upon Him now to gain that which you cannot loose - eternal life with God. The alter here is available as always, and the elders and I would be happy to pray with you and answer any questions.
Pray!!