For Sam

To live is Christ

– “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

To live is Christ.

Meaning that life is worth living.

Doesn’t mean it easy, even for the Christian person.

I was talking to Annie, or rather she was teaching me. Saying that when she got married. She Got a beautiful daughter. A Hot husband, her words, not mine. And she thought that life would be picket fences, mini vans, and soccer practices.

She could never fathom the trails and the hardships that life would bring.

But the beautiful things was that as tears rolling down her eyes told stories of how God encounter her every step of the way

To live is Christ!

Funerals are a bit unfair because they are forceful in the sense They force you to

Say goodbye

You realize that this is it, and the relationship with the deceased person has changed.

They force you

to remember

This isn’t all bad because memories can be comforting

They force you,

to reflect

This can also be a good thing but at times self-reflection can be hard because we have to look at things honestly and honestly sometimes we don’t like what we see.

And the last thing is funeral force us

to consider

our own live and immortality

Let me just say, the reason that you are here today is not because Sam Brown died but because of how he lived.

Sam was magnetic, charming and funny. I loved his Facebook memes, they were just the best.

From the moment I met him, I told Marian, that boy has the best smile I’ve ever seen and its possible his hair is curlier than mine…

Sam had a smile and a laugh that would light up a dark room.

He didn’t smile because life was easy and he didn’t have challenges.

He smiled because, to live is Christ!

at funeral we are forced to consider the life we lost and, then unfairly we are forced to Consider our own lives and wonder what would be said about us.

Young people, old people, average people… DONT WASTE YOUR LIFE! Live with purpose

Chose to be kind, helpful, and positive.

Chose not to let the struggle of life define you.

Chose to be happy

Chose to love and follow God and if you do. One day you’ll be described as magnetic, funny, charming and smile like Sam!

And then maybe somebody will laugh and enjoy your Facebook post.

So, when the preacher stands over you, he won’t have to lie!!

To live is Christ!

It is Christ who give us the ability to be hopeful in this hopeless and challenging world.

It is Christ who give us the ability to be joyful in the sad and Decaying society.

It is Christ that as Sam body was losing strength, caused him to NEVER LOSE His smile!

To Live is Christ

Paul says in romans 8

Romans 8:18 NASB95

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

He also adds in 2 Corinthians For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

He also adds in 2 Corinthians For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

We have a hope today that in the worst of Sam’s pain and trails it is light in comparison to the beauty and excellency of eternal life in heaven that he is experiencing now.

“to live is Christ”

To those who do not believe in God – Life on earth is the best there is. For the non-Christian, it is only natural to strive for the world’s values. Money – Popularity – Power – Prestige.

For the Christian it is different. – “To die is gain” What do we gain? 1. We Gain a better body – a glorified, immortalized, resurrected body. In this present body of clay we are subject to all the sorrows and tears that life is heir to. Age, sickness, and finally death are the inevitable end of this house made of the dust of the earth. But in death and the resurrection we gain a better body, one that can never grow old, know disease, suffer pain, and can never die. We gain a better body. 2. We Gain a better home. However, the beauty and the embellishments of any house we may possess in this world, it is nothing compared with our mansion in the beautiful city of God. Look at the promise of our Lord in

John 14:1–3 NASB95

1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. The longing of the Apostle Paul for his home in heaven is expressed in “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:” 3. We Gain a better inheritance. Our final reward is not here – it is in Heaven. 4. We Gain a better fellowship. All of us live in this world of a dissolving family circle. Mother is gone – Father is gone, or a child is gone, or our beloved grandparents are gone, or a close friend is gone. But the circle is unbroken in Heaven forever and ever. There is no death there, no sorrow or crying or pain, for these former things are passed away. Jesus is there. 5. If “for me to live is Christ,” then to die is gain.

The longing of the Apostle Paul for his home in heaven is expressed in

Philippians 1:23 NASB95

23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;

“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:” 3. We Gain a better inheritance. Our final reward is not here – it is in Heaven. 4. We Gain a better fellowship. All of us live in this world of a dissolving family circle. Mother is gone – Father is gone, or a child is gone, or our beloved grandparents are gone, or a close friend is gone. But the circle is unbroken in Heaven forever and ever. There is no death there, no sorrow or crying or pain, for these former things are passed away. Jesus is there. 5. If “for me to live is Christ,” then to die is gain.

3. We Gain a better inheritance. Our final reward is not here – it is in Heaven. 4. We Gain a better fellowship. All of us live in this world of a dissolving family circle. Mother is gone – Father is gone, or a child is gone, or our beloved grandparents are gone, or a close friend is gone. But the circle is unbroken in Heaven forever and ever. There is no death there, no sorrow or crying or pain, for these former things are passed away. Jesus is there. 5. If “for me to live is Christ,” then to die is gain.

If for me to live is money – then to die is loss. If for me to live is self – then to die is loss. If for me to live is ambition – then to die is loss. If for me to live is sin – then to die sis loss. But if for me to live is Christ – to die is gain.