Philippians 1:21

For me to live is Christ...

When I was looking to see what I should focus on this year, I decided that we should look at some key verses out of the book of Philippians.

The book of Philippians is one of the Apostle Paul’s prison epistles. Paul is writing to a church that was near and dear to his heart. Paul had a vision where someone was calling him to go to Macedonia.

It reminds me of an old hymn that says, “We have heard the Macedonian call today. Send the Light! Send the light! And the golden off’ring at the cross we lay. Send the Light! Send the Light!

Send the Light the Blessed Gospel light, let it shine from shore to shore. Send the light and let it’s radiant beams light the world forevermore.” (Chas Gabriel)

Paul started a a church with a few women that met by a river. His first convert was Lydia, a woman who sold purple fabric.

It was in Philippi where Paul and Silas were in prison. They had been beaten for casting demons out of a young girl that was following them declaring that they were servants of the Most High God who would show the people how to be saved.

This slave girl’s masters were angry because she had lost her power to tell the future. Because of this, they were locked up in the middle of the prison with their hands and feet bound. Yet they were praying and worshipping God. It was dark, around midnight when there was an earthquake that shook the prison.

They doors flew open and the chains fell off. The jailor was about to kill himself when Paul spoke up and said we are all here. The Jailor and his family became Christians that very night.

Tonight, let’s look at Paul’s statement

For me to live is Christ...

Let’s start by reading the Scripture in,

Philippians 1:21–26 NIV

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Paul was wrestling with the idea of whether it was better for him to live or to die. He was in a prison cell. It was no 5-star hotel. He didn’t have all the amenities of life, but he knew that he had a purpose to live.

Philippians 1:21 NLT

For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.

Living means living for Christ...

If you were to ask yourself, “Why am I here? or what’s my purpose for living?” Your raison d’ etre, What would your answer be?

I’m here for my spouse. I’m here for my kids. I’m here for my job. Who are you and why are you here?

Paul spelled it out very simply, “For me to live is Christ.”

Romans 14:7–9 NIV

For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

You were created By God and for God. Colossians 1:16

Colossians 1:16 NIV

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

When we commit our lives to Christ, we become the Lord’s. We aren’t our own anymore.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NIV

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Dying is even better...

Paul believed in life after death. He had settled the matter in his heart that he was okay with the thought of dying. He wasn’t afraid of it.

It takes faith to know that everything is going to be okay after we die.

One day Zoey asked me where people go when they die. I drove out to the cemetery and and showed her where the graves were, and I told her that this was where we bury the dead. Then I told her that people that love Jesus go to heaven and the people that don’t love Jesus go to Hell. She asked me what that meant. I told here about the lake of fire.

One day she was asking about people when they die that go to the fire place.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NIV

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

How Big Is Jesus?????

HOW BIG IS JESUS???????? At the end of a worship service, a little girl came up to her Pastor and asked, "How big is Jesus?"

The puzzled pastor pondered and said, "I don’t know, sweetheart. The Bible doesn’t say. He was a carpenter, so I am sure he had big hands and strong shoulders. Maybe he was 6 feet tall. I just don’t know. Why do you ask that question?" The little girl looked down and said, "Welllllllll, Pastor, you said I had to ask Jesus into my heart. I am just a little girl.

If He is a big Savior and he comes into my heart.......won’t he STICK OUT?" Wow. (Larry Petton, SC) In closing, my question is this, “If He is a big Savior and he comes into my heart.......won’t he STICK OUT?"

For Paul that question was simple to answer, “For me to live is Christ.” None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Are you ready to go and be with Jesus which is better by far? If you struggle with the answer, I think it’s time to commit or recommit your life to Christ.

Let Jesus stick out for others to see Christ in you the hope of glory.

Let’s pray.