To Live is to Die (Philippians 1:21)

Paul to the Philippians: "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. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Courage

Do you know Him, Christ, the Messiah? If you do let me ask you, is He first in your life? If Jesus is not all lovely in your life you are missing out on the totality of life. Christians must live a Christ-centered life. Paul was not ashamed of Christ. He proclaimed the Gospel even after being shipwrecked three times, whipped three times, imprisoned, and ultimately beheaded. Yet Christ was everything to Paul. This total love, an agape love, it is what gave Paul courage. Agape love is a sacrificial love. If you are a parent most of you would say you would die for your children. In my head I picture the old man kneeling next to his wife as she breathes her last breath praying Lord, take me not her. This is agape love. In today's society are you bold enough to speak the Gospel when it might not be all that easy to do? Are you afraid? Do you love Jesus so much that there is no fear of what "might happen" to you for speaking the Gospel?

It is funny to me in a way and sad in another. You see I have spoken the Gospel in public outside the confines of the church. When I have spoken to others about this I was told I need to "be careful", or you are liable to get "hurt". It is funny to me because I never think about the repercussions of speaking the Gospel. I try to honor Christ in my body and words as did Paul so that those things never cross my mind. I just don't care, and I don't believe I am being reckless. I also find sadness in the fact that there are those who do not know the strength of Christ. Even though they proclaim to be Christians, they fear the world.

Most people know Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

This Psalm encompasses the love of God. He fulfills every need and provides for our protection. So why fear anything?

Christ within

Yes, I love my family and I want to be there for them. However, I love a lot of things in my life, but none rise to the level of Christ. Paul said, "to live is Christ ". You see Paul's life was Christ. As a believer, Christ dwells in us. The more we strive to live like Him the more we become a mirror to the world. We are a reflection of Christ to others. Paul also wrote that to die is gain. We struggle here in this world. As believers, we know that when we die, by whatever means, we have nothing to lose but we gain everything. We gain eternal life, worshiping God forever. An eternal body free of pain and suffering, and the all-encompassing beauty of Christ. This is our reward. I imagine standing before God and being asked what have you done that you should be welcome here. The only thing I will be able to say is nothing. I have done nothing, then pointing to Christ, I'll say He did everything. He is the reason I am here and I know I will hear “ well done, good and faithful servant” Matthew 25:23 ESV.

The Love of Christ

Christ loves us with unending love. We, God’s people, were a gift from the Father to Christ, a gift of love. Christ came to earth in agreement with the Father and Spirit that He would die for God's people giving them salvation. By giving his life as a gift of love so that we might be rejoined with God He displayed His love for the Father. The Holy Spirit applied our salvation to us out of love for the Father and Son so that we might rejoin God and glorify Him, with our love.

Pastor John Piper teaches what he calls Christian hedonism. I know hedonism has a negative connotation to it but not the way Piper teaches it. It is a principle I agree with and practice. You see Piper knows and teaches that God is most glorified through us when we are most satisfied in Him.[1] I believe this, and the reason is, when we are completely satisfied in God we reflect that satisfaction in our life. People can tell that you are content, and when you are content in your life, they want to know why. When you explain the Gospel to them and testify to the glory of God in your life, God is glorified. When you are so focused on Christ that in the midst of a trial, you smile and say, “it’s okay, we are fine, God has got this”, God is glorified. I stopped worrying about this life a while ago and it drives people crazy. But I know God has got this. Yes, Satan creeps in and places anxiety upon us, but if we remain rooted in Christ we know God has got this, whatever it is.

Place Christ first in your life above all things. Worship Him above all things. When you do, you will be overcome with a wave of peace and love you have never experienced. The agape love of Jesus Christ. God’s Blessings!

[1] John Piper, What Is Christian Hedonism? | Desiring God, Desiring God, August 1, 2015.