1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,860 Welcome to Walk in the Truth podcast. How do we know where to find answers to the toughest 2 00:00:15,860 --> 00:00:21,080 questions in life? While the simplest answer is the Bible, where do we start this search 3 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:27,300 and how do we discover this truth? Today, in this teaching podcast, John Meador, lead 4 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:32,440 pastor of Cross City Church, takes a specific text of the Bible and helps us find truth 5 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:43,680 for the life we're searching for. So glad you're here this morning. If you have your 6 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:49,120 Bibles, please take them to turn to Philippians chapter one today. Philippians one. The great 7 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:53,320 life is what I'm going to talk to you about today. The great life in Philippians chapter 8 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:57,880 one, maybe one of the greatest verses that Paul ever wrote is the verse that we'll be 9 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:03,480 getting started with in verse 21 of Philippians chapter one. If you don't have a Bible, you 10 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,760 can certainly find them in the doorways and you can find them under some of the seat backs 11 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,200 and we have page numbers for those Bibles on the screen as well so you can find it very 12 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,240 quickly. You don't have to go to the table of contents or anything like that. Philippians 13 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,680 chapter one. By the way, we'll complete the first chapter next Sunday morning and then 14 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:26,360 we will have Good Friday, Cross Service, and then Easter Sunday morning of course and then 15 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,360 we'll jump back into Philippians chapter two the week after that. Great, great material, 16 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:36,880 great truths for us, great perspectives about how we are to view life in chapter two and 17 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,640 chapter three of the book of Philippians. But I hope that you'll be reaching out to 18 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:46,760 people on Good Friday and on Easter Sunday morning. I think what we do on Good Friday 19 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:51,760 is unique in terms of the Metroplex. Nobody else really does what we do. We build a cross 20 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:58,040 on the stage and we really make it real and it's a powerful picture of what Christ actually 21 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:02,160 did on the cross and people have an opportunity to come to faith in Christ so I hope that 22 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:06,920 you'll reach out as we prepare for that Good Friday service. Well, Philippians chapter 23 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,680 one, beginning of verse 21, stand with me and we'll read the text together and then 24 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:17,560 we'll spend some time on verse 21. Here's what it says here in verse 21, Paul is riding 25 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:23,240 about, he's riding to the church of Philippi, the very first church in Europe. As you remember, 26 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:28,920 he's been called by the Macedonian vision to come across the sea to this place in Macedonia 27 00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:36,600 called Philippi and there the church is planted and now he's riding back from a Roman prison 28 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:41,000 and as he rides back he's thinking about life and death and he doesn't know when he'll 29 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:45,800 die but he knows at some point in the future he will. He's getting older, the ministry 30 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:50,760 that he's had for years has been extremely effective and he wants the church of Philippi 31 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:57,720 to stay strong so here's what he writes to them. He says, for to me to live is Christ 32 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,720 and to die is gain. That's that famous verse I told you about. I'm going to read it again. 33 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:07,320 It's such an incredible verse. Think about it with me. For to me to live is Christ and 34 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:12,160 to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh this will mean fruitful labor for 35 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:17,640 me and I do not know which to choose but I am hard pressed from both directions having 36 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:23,040 the desire to depart and be with Christ for that is very much better. Yet to remain on 37 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:29,240 in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this I know that I will remain 38 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:35,200 and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith so that your proud confidence 39 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:41,720 in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. Let's bow together in 40 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:48,800 prayer. Father we ask you today to speak to us from this text about our lives, about how 41 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:53,440 we spend our lives, how we give our lives. Father I pray that you would challenge us 42 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:59,160 in every aspect of life with this great, great verse. We ask this in Jesus' name and everybody 43 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:04,880 said amen. Amen. Please be seated. So keep your Bible open for a few moments to Philippians 44 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:10,560 chapter 1 verse 21. We are going to go through it quite thoroughly today because it is such 45 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:14,520 an incredible and simple verse. Now it is going to be a simple approach to scripture 46 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:19,720 but it is also going to be one where I hope you can see how we paint on this text. What 47 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:26,720 does it mean to say for me to live as Christ and to die is gain? You know I am somewhat 48 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:31,120 of a basketball fan. I wonder how many Mavericks fans, Dallas Mavericks fans are in the room. 49 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,520 Would you raise your hand if you are kind of a Mavericks fan? You have got a lot of 50 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:39,760 Dallas Mavericks fans and so you would know the name Luka, right? The name Luka Dončić 51 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:44,040 is how you say his last name. I had to look it up. I always knew him as Luka but I had 52 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:48,880 to look up the last name Dončić. He was born in Slovenia and you may know some of 53 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:53,720 this that I am sharing with you. He started to focus on basketball at the age of seven. 54 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:58,800 He was six, seven eventually but as a young boy, pretty tall and he always played with 55 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:02,960 teams that were older than him. He was in the twelve year old league when he was seven 56 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:07,760 years old and it just kind of went on like that as he grew up. At the age of seventeen 57 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:12,360 he played professional basketball in Europe with a team called Real Madrid and actually 58 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:18,640 played exhibition games against NBA teams at the age of seventeen. It takes a moment 59 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:25,320 to appreciate that kind of talent. He was drafted in 2018 into the NBA, traded from 60 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:30,920 the Atlantic Hawk to the Dallas Mavericks and he has been there ever since. The Atlanta 61 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:35,440 Hawks didn't know what they had and Dallas figured out what they had and has been a phenomenal 62 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:41,120 player. Listen to this data on him. He was the first teenager to score four triple doubles 63 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:49,880 in history. What that means is he scored double figures. He had double figures in assist and 64 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:55,240 also in rebounds. He was the first NBA player to score sixty points and double figures in 65 00:05:55,240 --> 00:06:02,520 rebounds and assist in a game. He was also the youngest man to score forty two points 66 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:07,040 in his first playoff game and in January of this year he actually scored seventy three 67 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:12,480 points in a basketball game. What a three men that have ever scored more than seventy 68 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:17,120 three points. Rote Chamberlain is one of those guys that scored more than that but it was 69 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:22,480 quite phenomenal. So when you look at Luca Doncius Clive you can say this very plainly 70 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:31,120 without debate for him to live his basketball. To live his basketball. Right? I mean from 71 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:35,120 the moment this guy gets up he's bouncing the basketball. From the moment he gets up 72 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,480 to the time he goes to bed he's all about the training, he's all about the practice, 73 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:45,560 he's all about scouting out the opponents. From the time he's been a small boy to him 74 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:52,080 to live his basketball. And at the end of his career he'll be quite wealthy. He'll 75 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:57,880 have a lot of accolades, a lot of awards that relate to his life about basketball. But for 76 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:04,680 a guy like that to live his basketball. Now this message is not about basketball. Some 77 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:10,200 of you will be happy to hear but this message is about what it means to be preoccupied and 78 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:17,120 fully focused on something important in life. Now Paul was saying that, not about basketball 79 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:27,200 but about life and Christ. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Paul was saying 80 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:32,160 I want to be as preoccupied with Christ as anything else on the planet. I don't want 81 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:38,400 anything else to take preeminence over or priority over Jesus Christ. He's considering 82 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,720 the value of his life, he's considering the purpose of his life. At the end of his ministry 83 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:46,720 he's getting older, he's been in prison a number of times, he's gone through all kinds 84 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:52,560 of trials and tribulations and now he is in house guard, under house guard, in a Roman 85 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:57,640 prison and he's contemplating his life and his ministry, wondering how long he's going 86 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:03,680 to live and wondering how to continue to spend his life. And he ends up saying this to the 87 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:08,840 church at Phillipi, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Now how many of you would 88 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,520 say I'm very familiar with this verse? Raise your hand, of course you are, you're very 89 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:17,880 familiar with this verse and you ought to be. For to me to live is Christ and to die 90 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:24,000 is gain. I think it's the greatest statement Paul makes in the book of Philippians. Now 91 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,480 that's saying something. I don't know if you've read the whole book of Philippians 92 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:31,880 lately but if you were to read the whole book of Philippians you would find favorite statement 93 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:37,320 after favorite statement all the way through the book of Philippians. In the book of Philippians 94 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:41,240 are some of the greatest things the apostle Paul ever said. You'll find these on the 95 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:45,960 walls of people and their homes. You'll find these written down in the forward of their 96 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:51,440 Bible on the blank pages. You'll see people tattoo these verses on their arm or somewhere 97 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:56,280 on their body because they want to remember these verses that I'm going to share with 98 00:08:56,280 --> 00:09:01,240 you. And I think for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain is the top, the uppermost 99 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:06,320 verse out of many, many great verses in the book of Philippians. I'm going to run through 100 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:12,640 some of my top ten verses in the book of Philippians. I'm going to end up with number one which 101 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:17,040 is for to me to live is Christ. At number ten, he who began a good work in you were 102 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:22,320 completed even to the day of Christ Jesus. Say amen if that verse means something to 103 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:27,640 you. Here's another one. It is God who is at work in you both to will and to do his 104 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:33,160 good pleasure. That's an easy one to remember, very unusual in its wording. Here's one that 105 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:38,640 everyone knows. At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, at every tongue shall confess, 106 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:43,560 Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Amen. How many times have you said 107 00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:48,200 that verse and how many times have you sung that verse? Well what about this one in Philippians 108 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:53,720 chapter two and then more of this in chapter three where Paul says, oh that I may know 109 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:59,160 him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being conformed 110 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:04,160 to the image of his death. You know this one as well. I press on towards the goal for the 111 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:10,360 prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. And this one you pray a lot and you 112 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:16,080 admonish yourself a lot. It's in chapter four. Rejoice in the Lord always and again 113 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:22,400 I say rejoice. I mean these are the mountaintop kind of verses that we find in the Bible and 114 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:26,160 we're not even to number eight, nine, and ten yet. What about this one? Be anxious for 115 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:31,200 nothing but in everything let prayer and supplication make your requests known to God and the peace 116 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:36,600 of God that passes all understanding shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 117 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:42,280 Here is number eight. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Amen. And 118 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:46,920 then here's another one financially focused. My God will supply all your needs according 119 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:51,320 to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. But here's the top one. Here's the best one. For 120 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:58,040 to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Someone just take some time to thank the Lord 121 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:06,200 for all these great verses in the Bible. Wow. Wow. One book. Did you know that so many incredible 122 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:13,200 statements that you quote all the time are in the four chapter letter to the Philippines? 123 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:19,600 Powerful. But the greatest is this verse that we just looked at. For to me to live is Christ 124 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,720 and to die is gain. Did you know that all the other promises that we've just looked at are 125 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:31,240 dependent upon this one? This one. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. So 126 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:35,800 I'm going to break this down into two points today that are very simple. The first one 127 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:40,280 is for to me to live is Christ and the second one is to die is gain. All right. Are you 128 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:47,360 ready? Got your pens ready? All right. Point number one. To live is Christ. To live is 129 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:51,760 Christ. The word live here is a word that has to do not just your heart beating, but 130 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:58,000 how you spend your life. It has to do with how you're going to put time and energy and 131 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:04,840 effort into one's life. It literally means to spend one's existence. And when Paul says 132 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:12,280 this, he prefaces the statement by saying for to me to live is Christ. Now I want you 133 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:16,800 to be careful that you don't misunderstand what he's saying. Paul is not making a subjective 134 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:21,960 statement in the sense of for to me to live is Christ, but for to you it might be something 135 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:28,200 else that's life. He is making an apostolic statement. An objective statement that has 136 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:34,520 become personal in his life. And that is for to me, for to every real believer to live 137 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:41,480 is Christ and to die is gain. This is an apostolic statement of what real faith is all about. 138 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:49,480 This is the life of a follower. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. So as 139 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,800 we consider that first part of that phrase for to me to live is Christ, let me just give 140 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:58,960 you some angles of understanding to grab hold of it with. First of all, I want you to notice 141 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:04,880 that it's about love. It's about the love relationship we have with Christ. For to me 142 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:10,160 to live is Christ has everything to do with this personal and intimate love relationship 143 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:16,040 that the Apostle Paul had with Jesus Christ. Notice what he doesn't say. He doesn't say 144 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:22,440 for to me to live is Christianity. He doesn't say for me to live is being a Baptist. He 145 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:29,200 doesn't say for to me to live is evangelicalism. He says for to me to live is Christ. So in 146 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:35,800 every sense it's personal naming the name of the man that he loves and follows and lives 147 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:42,640 for. So it's about love. It's really about having a heart relationship with a God who's 148 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:48,480 not distant, who's not impersonal, who's not found in religion, but a real relationship 149 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:54,140 with a real God, Jesus Christ. Now you remember how Paul came to faith on the road to Damascus 150 00:13:54,140 --> 00:13:59,200 perhaps. In the book of Acts you see it three different times. He's persecuting the church 151 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:05,360 and on the road to Damascus he hears a voice that says, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting 152 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:10,120 me? And he responds, who are you Lord? And he has this incredible encounter, a personal 153 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:15,800 encounter with Jesus Christ. And so after that personal encounter he places his faith 154 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,880 and trust in Christ. And you would too if you had a personal encounter on the Damascus 155 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:27,240 road with Jesus Christ. So Jesus, the one he says for to me to live is Christ, or Jesus, 156 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:32,400 is the one he's talking about, one he fell in love with because of this personal encounter 157 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:39,320 in which he was rescued from his direction of sin and self and given eternal life. He 158 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:45,840 had come to realize that Jesus was the only real way to live life. Later on in Philippians 159 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:52,240 chapter three verse eight he said, I count all things to be lost in view of the surpassing 160 00:14:52,240 --> 00:15:00,040 value of knowing Christ. The surpassing value, it surpasses everything. There's nothing more 161 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:05,000 valuable, there's nothing greater than knowing Christ. Paul said, I've lived life long enough 162 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:10,400 where I know Jesus Christ really is the way, the truth, and the life. It was Jesus that 163 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:14,960 said that about himself in John chapter 14 verse six. He said, I am the way, say it with 164 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:19,440 me, you know it so well, say it with me. I am the way and the truth and the life. No 165 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:25,240 one comes to the Father but through me. That's why we have placed this on a stone in front 166 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:30,600 of our commons entrance so that when people come in they'll know exactly who we follow. 167 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:35,280 Jesus Christ, he's the way, he's the truth, he's the life and that's what Paul's saying. 168 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:41,440 He is my life. For to me to live is Christ. Everything about my life has to do with Jesus 169 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:45,280 Christ. Paul is saying I love the fact that he's the way, the truth, and the life because 170 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:53,640 now I know him and now I embrace him in every way, the way, the truth, and the life. Paul, 171 00:15:53,640 --> 00:16:01,040 you can say, was in love with Jesus. Have you ever been in love with somebody? Some 172 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:09,120 of your husbands sitting next to wives need to be saying amen right now. You know when 173 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:13,520 you fall in love with somebody everything changes in the sense of your outlook, your 174 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:18,280 perspective, it really does. I remember falling in love with my wife when I was in college. 175 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:26,040 She was a college girl. I was a guy on campus and I met her and we began to date and she 176 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:30,560 was all I could think about. I remember being in Western Civ class, one of the hardest classes 177 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:35,520 you could take in the college I went. Western Civ, I think it was eight hours of class over 178 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:40,680 a couple of semesters. I mean it was monotonous and boring and droning and lecture over and 179 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:47,160 over. I wrote love poems to Kim during Western Civilization. Yeah. I didn't care what kind 180 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:53,280 of grade I got, I was in love, right? I could say at that point in my life, for me to live 181 00:16:53,280 --> 00:17:02,320 as Kim. It took over. Then as we married I realized, well a better statement is for me 182 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:07,400 to live as Christ, but it's great to live for Christ alongside a woman that lived for 183 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:14,320 Christ. Paul is simply saying, I've got that kind of a love. It's taken over my life. It 184 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:19,360 turned me completely around from where I was going. Now I can say to you in the church 185 00:17:19,360 --> 00:17:25,800 at Philippi about my life as I look back on all the days of my life, as I look back forward 186 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:31,400 with uncertainty about the future, I can say this. My life has a whole lot to do with Jesus 187 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:39,720 Christ. In fact, for to me to live is Christ. It's about love. It's about having an affection 188 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:47,480 with Jesus Christ. Let me ask you, do you have a love relationship with Him? When you 189 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:52,840 see Jesus, do you see the one who loved you so much that He died on the cross for you? 190 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:58,400 Do you reciprocate that love? Do you respond to Him, not as a mighty King on a throne, 191 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:03,160 even though He is that, but as one who has made Himself very personal, very real, revealing 192 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:09,840 Himself, His character and His love for you? Are you responding to that love with your 193 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:13,840 life? Paul was responding to that love with his life. That's why he says for to me to 194 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:23,080 live is Christ. It's about love. It's also about purpose. Paul said, I'm going to spend 195 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:29,440 it this way. I'm going to spend my life this way to fulfill the purpose that He has called 196 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:35,160 me for. To live is Christ. That phrase means that my conscious waking hours will be spent 197 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:41,200 contributing to what the one I love has called me to do. Now that's true of all of us. It 198 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:47,680 should be true of every one of us. God calls us to various things, but He calls all of 199 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:54,640 us to the things He's called us to. Loving Him first. Once we learn to love Him and grow 200 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:58,440 in a relationship with Him, we learn what our purpose is. Paul says something about 201 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:03,320 this in Philippians 312. He says, not that I have already obtained it or already become 202 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:08,840 perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which I was also laid hold 203 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:14,960 of by Christ Jesus. I love this line. I love this phrase because basically what it says 204 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:20,600 is God grabbed hold of my life at some point on the road to Damascus for Paul. He grabbed 205 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:25,400 hold of my life and the rest of my life is going to be spent laying hold of the purpose 206 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:30,320 for which He laid hold of me. Does you know today that if you've already given your life 207 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:35,360 to Christ and if you know that you're a born again believer, you were not born again believer. 208 00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:40,060 You were not born again. You were not made a believer just for you, even though you gained 209 00:19:40,060 --> 00:19:46,520 the benefit of it, but also for God's purpose in your life. Paul said in Ephesians 2 verse 210 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:51,180 10, for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good work, which He prepared 211 00:19:51,180 --> 00:19:55,280 beforehand that we should walk. He's got a plan for your life. God loves you. God has 212 00:19:55,280 --> 00:20:00,400 a plan for your life and for me to live as Christ means I respond to that love and I 213 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:05,560 respond to that purpose. You can know how He gifted you. You can know how He's wired 214 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:12,200 you. You can know how you find fulfillment in serving Him. Some of you find that fulfillment 215 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:19,560 in serving, some in showing mercy, some in organizing, some in leading, some in teaching, 216 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:25,440 some in planning, some in mentoring, some in worshiping, some in counseling, some in 217 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:31,040 cooking, some in building, some in demolition, some in greeting, some in giving, some in 218 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:36,560 planning, on and on and on and on. I could go on all day long. At some point it's going 219 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:41,920 to touch one of you and all of you in some several places where God has a purpose for 220 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:48,560 your life. Paul says for me to live as Christ, so that means I'm about the purpose for which 221 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:54,760 I was placed here. It's also about mission. That's the third thing, about mission. Paul 222 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:59,320 had a purpose but he had a specific mission that he was on and that moment that he writes. 223 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:05,800 I heard someone say this recently and I liked it. Life on earth is a temporary mission trip 224 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:12,800 with Jesus. Death is eternal bliss with Him. Life on earth is a temporary mission trip for 225 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:19,800 Jesus. Death is bliss with Him forever. That's a good way to describe the Christian life. 226 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:28,720 To live as Christ is about knowing what your purpose is, knowing how to love Him and also 227 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:32,980 serving Him on mission until your life is over. It means that your life is spent to 228 00:21:32,980 --> 00:21:38,820 some significant degree furthering the kingdom of God, furthering the gospel as He's called 229 00:21:38,820 --> 00:21:44,320 you to live it out. That's what normal Christianity is. Paul is making a statement. He's not saying 230 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,960 I'm rare, I'm different, I'm up there in the air, I'm different from everybody else. 231 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:54,400 He says this is what the normal Christian life is for me to live as Christ. Normal Christianity 232 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,740 is not casual agreement with the claims of Jesus and occasional participation in His 233 00:21:58,740 --> 00:22:05,740 activity. It's complete agreement and daily participation in His life and ministry. It's 234 00:22:05,740 --> 00:22:12,740 finding ways and listening to Him find ways for you to serve Him. In the early disciples 235 00:22:15,820 --> 00:22:20,700 and the early church, this is the only definition that Christianity would have allowed. In fact, 236 00:22:20,700 --> 00:22:25,920 when Jesus called the disciples in Luke chapter 9 verse 23, He says it so well, if anyone 237 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:30,940 wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take him across daily and follow me. So often 238 00:22:30,940 --> 00:22:34,620 we look at that verse and we say oh, there's some hard stuff in there, I've got to deny 239 00:22:34,620 --> 00:22:38,660 myself. But what you don't see in that verse is all the incredible things that happen when 240 00:22:38,660 --> 00:22:45,660 you do deny yourself and you live for Christ. For to me, Paul says to live as Christ and 241 00:22:46,940 --> 00:22:53,060 to die is gain. If you look at the rest of this text, verses 22 through 25 and down to 242 00:22:53,060 --> 00:22:59,060 verse 26, he's describing how he views life at that particular moment. It's his mission 243 00:22:59,060 --> 00:23:04,020 mentality at the end of his life and in prison. He's saying this. He says I know that my life 244 00:23:04,020 --> 00:23:10,460 is at a crossroads. I know my time is limited and I want to see Christ. Who's going to be 245 00:23:10,460 --> 00:23:15,660 the most amazing experience I can ever have? I want more than to stay. I want to be with 246 00:23:15,660 --> 00:23:21,380 Him. However, if God allows me to remain, it's for your progress and for your joy so 247 00:23:21,380 --> 00:23:28,380 I can fulfill the mission He's placed me on earth for. Paul said I'm convinced God's not 248 00:23:28,380 --> 00:23:32,780 done with me yet and I'm going to be about that until He calls me home. You know, if 249 00:23:32,780 --> 00:23:37,420 you're here today, God's not done with you yet. Amen? Amen? If you can't say amen to 250 00:23:37,420 --> 00:23:41,220 that, man, you need to think again. If you're here today, maybe you don't know if you're 251 00:23:41,220 --> 00:23:47,700 here today, but if you're here today, God's not done with you. He's got all kinds of things 252 00:23:47,700 --> 00:23:52,140 that He has prepared for you. I think it's also important to understand that this verse 253 00:23:52,140 --> 00:23:59,140 right here is a verse that helps us understand where He got His joy. Paul got His joy from 254 00:23:59,140 --> 00:24:05,220 living in a significant way day by day by day. For me to live is Christ. It's these 255 00:24:05,220 --> 00:24:11,500 things that we've just talked about that let Him have that continual joy. He enjoyed 256 00:24:11,500 --> 00:24:15,700 knowing and serving Christ. That's why when you get to chapter four and verse four it 257 00:24:15,700 --> 00:24:22,300 says, rejoice, tell me here, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. You notice 258 00:24:22,300 --> 00:24:28,300 that little line, that three word line, rejoice in the Lord. He's in jail. He's gone through 259 00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:33,300 some financial and physical hardship, but He says rejoice in the Lord. Again, I say 260 00:24:33,300 --> 00:24:38,220 rejoice. He gets His joy from loving Christ. He gets His joy from knowing His purpose in 261 00:24:38,220 --> 00:24:42,380 life and knowing that He's on a mission for Christ. Did you know that's where you'll 262 00:24:42,380 --> 00:24:48,260 get your joy too? That's where you'll get it. You'll get it from knowing Christ. You'll 263 00:24:48,260 --> 00:24:54,580 get it from being on a mission with Him. Here's the deal. This is not just the life of the 264 00:24:54,580 --> 00:25:00,100 apostle being described. This is the life of the everyday ordinary believer. It's your 265 00:25:00,100 --> 00:25:06,780 life that's being described. W.A. Chris Will took this verse years and years ago and preached 266 00:25:06,780 --> 00:25:13,500 a message, a classic message. In that message he quoted this phrase several times. I'm going 267 00:25:13,500 --> 00:25:19,700 to read it to you today. I've read it often, not in this room, but often in funeral services 268 00:25:19,700 --> 00:25:25,340 when someone's lived for Christ. He says, if for me to live as Christ then to die is 269 00:25:25,340 --> 00:25:32,340 gain, but if for me to live as money then to die is loss. If for me to live as pleasure 270 00:25:33,580 --> 00:25:40,180 then to die is a loss. If for me to live as money then to die is a loss. If for me to 271 00:25:40,180 --> 00:25:44,980 live as pleasure then to die is a loss. If for me to live as self then to die is a loss. 272 00:25:44,980 --> 00:25:49,140 If for me to live is ambition, then to die is a loss. 273 00:25:49,140 --> 00:25:53,180 If for me to live is sin then to die is a loss. 274 00:25:53,180 --> 00:25:56,640 If for me to live is this world, then to die is a lost, 275 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:00,340 but if for me to live is Christ, then to die is gang. 276 00:26:00,340 --> 00:26:01,660 Amen, amen. 277 00:26:02,860 --> 00:26:06,940 Point number one, for to me to live is Christ. 278 00:26:06,940 --> 00:26:11,940 Point number two, for to me, to die is gain. 279 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:17,540 If for me to live as Christ, then to die is gain. 280 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,080 And I've said that a lot of times today in this message, 281 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:24,120 but this is something I want to resonate in your mind. 282 00:26:24,120 --> 00:26:28,360 The believer doesn't lose anything at death. 283 00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:30,620 He only gains. 284 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:34,800 It's important to know that that word gain means 285 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,000 that you gain an advantage. 286 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,500 In other words, there are death benefits in your death 287 00:26:39,500 --> 00:26:42,540 as a believer in Jesus Christ that you will receive 288 00:26:42,540 --> 00:26:44,980 that you won't get in life. 289 00:26:44,980 --> 00:26:46,500 That you know that there are so many things 290 00:26:46,500 --> 00:26:50,440 that God promises you that you'll not get in this life, 291 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:52,720 but you'll get in the next. 292 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:54,580 In other words, he gives you lots of promises 293 00:26:54,580 --> 00:26:56,660 for here and now, and he'll fulfill all those promises 294 00:26:56,660 --> 00:26:59,320 in your life, but he's reserving something 295 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:02,460 for the next life, something really incredible, 296 00:27:02,460 --> 00:27:03,500 something really amazing. 297 00:27:03,500 --> 00:27:05,560 And Paul knew what those promises were, 298 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:08,220 so that's why he said, for to me to live as Christ 299 00:27:08,220 --> 00:27:10,500 and to die is gain. 300 00:27:10,500 --> 00:27:12,100 Let me give you two things today. 301 00:27:12,100 --> 00:27:14,740 I can't possibly give you an exhaustive list, 302 00:27:14,740 --> 00:27:17,000 but let me give you two things today that you gain. 303 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:21,540 First of all, we at our death gain the presence 304 00:27:21,540 --> 00:27:22,840 of Jesus Christ. 305 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:26,540 We gain the uninterrupted presence, 306 00:27:26,540 --> 00:27:28,780 physical presence of Jesus Christ. 307 00:27:29,820 --> 00:27:33,480 More than spiritual presence, we gain the physical presence 308 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:38,220 of being face to face, eye to eye with the King of Kings 309 00:27:38,220 --> 00:27:41,300 and the Lord of Lords. 310 00:27:41,300 --> 00:27:44,400 The apostles talked about this throughout the epistles. 311 00:27:45,660 --> 00:27:49,600 Perhaps the most famous is 2 Corinthians 5, verse 8, 312 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:51,540 where Paul himself says, we're of good courage, 313 00:27:51,540 --> 00:27:54,680 I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body 314 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:56,540 and to be at home with the Lord. 315 00:27:56,540 --> 00:27:59,540 Most familiar translations say it a little differently. 316 00:27:59,540 --> 00:28:00,680 You know what it says. 317 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:04,460 Absent from body and present with Christ. 318 00:28:04,460 --> 00:28:08,560 Say it with me, absent from body, present with Christ. 319 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:10,260 There is no pause in between there. 320 00:28:10,260 --> 00:28:12,900 If you're a believer in Jesus, to be absent from body 321 00:28:12,900 --> 00:28:15,800 is not to go to some waiting room or some holding place. 322 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:17,400 You don't take a number and take a chair 323 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:19,140 and wait for your name to be called. 324 00:28:20,360 --> 00:28:22,260 To be absent from body is to be in the presence 325 00:28:22,260 --> 00:28:24,940 of Jesus Christ from that moment forward. 326 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,100 Closing your eyes on this earth in death 327 00:28:28,100 --> 00:28:30,480 means that you will open them in eternity, 328 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:32,480 immediately to be absent from body 329 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,140 is to be present with Christ. 330 00:28:34,140 --> 00:28:37,620 So when we talk about to live as Christ and to die as gain, 331 00:28:37,620 --> 00:28:39,160 we're talking about gaining something 332 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:41,580 that you can't have while you're on the earth. 333 00:28:41,580 --> 00:28:44,260 You have to go there and he's gonna bring you there. 334 00:28:45,420 --> 00:28:46,720 Aren't you glad? 335 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:48,060 Aren't you glad that when you die, 336 00:28:48,060 --> 00:28:49,660 you'll go to heaven as a believer in Jesus Christ? 337 00:28:49,660 --> 00:28:51,400 I'm pretty hyped about that. 338 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:54,440 No better life than that. 339 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:55,260 No better life. 340 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:58,680 So last year we went to Israel 341 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:01,600 and had a great trip to Israel just before 342 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,140 the war really began. 343 00:29:04,140 --> 00:29:08,320 And while we were there, we were there where Jesus was. 344 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:12,320 Now for me, traveling on an airplane is pretty simple. 345 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,480 I have a consistent habit of going to sleep 346 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,160 soon after I get on the airplane. 347 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:19,120 Sometimes I don't know when we've taken off 348 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,760 and I usually wake up when we land. 349 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:23,800 So on this trip to Israel, 350 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,100 I closed my eyes while I'm in the United States 351 00:29:26,100 --> 00:29:29,340 and I woke up in the land where Jesus was. 352 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:32,200 It's a really great way to fly. 353 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:37,180 But in death, I will close my eyes in this location 354 00:29:38,380 --> 00:29:43,380 and open to the land where Jesus is, in his presence. 355 00:29:46,060 --> 00:29:49,220 Without waiting period, without even knowing 356 00:29:49,220 --> 00:29:52,100 what transpired in between the closing of our eyes 357 00:29:52,100 --> 00:29:53,600 and the opening of them there. 358 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,700 To live is Christ, but to die is game. 359 00:29:57,900 --> 00:30:00,780 It's game beyond anything you can possibly imagine. 360 00:30:00,780 --> 00:30:02,540 The apostle John said this, he said, 361 00:30:02,540 --> 00:30:05,980 we know that when he appears, we will be like him 362 00:30:05,980 --> 00:30:09,560 because we will see him just as he really is. 363 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:11,580 We're gonna see things we've never seen before. 364 00:30:11,580 --> 00:30:14,960 We're gonna gain the knowledge of him in a unique way. 365 00:30:16,020 --> 00:30:18,260 Have you ever seen a famous person? 366 00:30:18,260 --> 00:30:21,760 Have you ever, in your travels or wherever you've been, 367 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,300 have you ever seen something that was really 368 00:30:24,300 --> 00:30:27,500 a famous individual and when you saw them, 369 00:30:27,500 --> 00:30:29,600 you did a double take, kinda did a double take like, 370 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:31,600 is that them, is that this famous person 371 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,000 and maybe even had your heart stop beating 372 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,880 for just a second and then you recovered, right? 373 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:41,180 I remember traveling and I was traveling through Chicago 374 00:30:41,180 --> 00:30:44,560 and at the airport there and I was waiting for a flight 375 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:48,020 and none other than Muhammad Ali walked by 376 00:30:48,020 --> 00:30:49,660 while I was waiting. 377 00:30:49,660 --> 00:30:51,100 And I've always been a boxing fan. 378 00:30:51,100 --> 00:30:53,600 My dad was a boxer in the Navy and he taught me how to box 379 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:56,260 and I mean, we always watched Muhammad Ali float 380 00:30:56,260 --> 00:30:58,100 like a butterfly, sting like a bee, man, 381 00:30:58,100 --> 00:31:00,600 we know all that stuff and we had such a great time 382 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:02,700 with that but I saw Muhammad Ali in the airport 383 00:31:02,700 --> 00:31:04,500 and I promise you, I was a grown man 384 00:31:04,500 --> 00:31:08,140 but my heart stopped and my eyes got that big around. 385 00:31:08,140 --> 00:31:09,620 And I recovered after a moment or two, 386 00:31:09,620 --> 00:31:11,080 realized, okay, he's just a man. 387 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:12,640 I mean, he's a great boxer, just a man. 388 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:14,320 I'm gonna go back and sit down now. 389 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:22,060 Don't wanna make a fool of myself but when I see Jesus, 390 00:31:22,060 --> 00:31:23,460 I won't be able to recover. 391 00:31:25,220 --> 00:31:28,540 When I see Jesus, I will have to have a glorified body 392 00:31:28,540 --> 00:31:32,000 in order to even stay there. 393 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:36,300 Your heart cannot contain or your body can't contain 394 00:31:36,300 --> 00:31:40,480 your heart to see Jesus unless it's glorified. 395 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:43,580 Now think about this, Paul's thinking about that time, 396 00:31:43,580 --> 00:31:45,420 that moment, that day, whenever it's gonna be, 397 00:31:45,420 --> 00:31:47,680 when he meets Christ face to face. 398 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:49,520 So he says to the Philippian believers, he says, 399 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,420 listen, for me to live as Christ but to die is gain. 400 00:31:52,420 --> 00:31:57,420 There's so much I gained by meeting Christ face to face. 401 00:31:57,420 --> 00:31:59,420 Take a moment and go to the book of Revelation. 402 00:31:59,420 --> 00:32:02,040 Just open your Bibles to Revelation chapter four. 403 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:04,260 It's the very last book of the Bible 404 00:32:04,260 --> 00:32:06,300 and we have a little time so I'll just preach 405 00:32:06,300 --> 00:32:08,100 through the book of Revelation now. 406 00:32:08,100 --> 00:32:11,180 You know that can't be right. 407 00:32:11,180 --> 00:32:14,280 We don't have that much time, do we? 408 00:32:18,860 --> 00:32:22,000 Revelation is literally as it says, 409 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:24,800 the revelation of eternity to John. 410 00:32:26,460 --> 00:32:28,600 Verse one, chapter four. 411 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,240 After these things I looked and behold, 412 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:33,780 a door standing open in heaven and the first voice, 413 00:32:33,780 --> 00:32:35,540 which I'd heard like the sound of a trumpet 414 00:32:35,540 --> 00:32:38,580 speaking with me said, come up here 415 00:32:38,580 --> 00:32:40,280 and I will show you what must take place 416 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:41,340 after these things. 417 00:32:41,340 --> 00:32:44,080 Immediately I was in the spirit and behold, 418 00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:45,820 a throne was standing in heaven 419 00:32:45,820 --> 00:32:48,080 and one sitting on the throne. 420 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:50,860 And he who was sitting was like Jasper Stone 421 00:32:50,860 --> 00:32:54,500 and Sardius in appearance and there was a rainbow 422 00:32:54,500 --> 00:32:57,160 around the throne like an emerald in appearance. 423 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,140 Around the throne were 24 thrones 424 00:32:59,140 --> 00:33:02,100 and upon the thrones I saw 24 elders sitting 425 00:33:02,100 --> 00:33:06,800 clothed in white garments and golden crowns on their head. 426 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:09,400 He goes on to describe these living creatures 427 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,420 around these 24 elders. 428 00:33:11,420 --> 00:33:14,120 In verse eight he says, and the four living creatures, 429 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:15,720 each of them having six wings, 430 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:18,120 are full of eyes around them within 431 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:20,820 and day and night they do not cease to say, 432 00:33:20,820 --> 00:33:23,260 holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, 433 00:33:23,260 --> 00:33:27,200 the Almighty who was and who is and who is to come. 434 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:29,400 And when the living creatures gave glory and honor 435 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:31,500 and thanks to him who sits on the throne, 436 00:33:31,500 --> 00:33:33,240 to him who lives forever and ever, 437 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:35,860 like the 24 elders will fall down before him 438 00:33:35,860 --> 00:33:38,240 who sits on the throne and will worship him 439 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:41,980 who lives forever and ever and will cast their crowns 440 00:33:41,980 --> 00:33:45,280 before the throne saying worthy are you our Lord 441 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:48,540 and our God to receive glory and honor and power 442 00:33:48,540 --> 00:33:50,920 for you created all things and because of your will 443 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:52,720 they exist and were created. 444 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:55,480 Get that throne room scene in your mind 445 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:57,560 because that's what Paul is thinking through 446 00:33:57,560 --> 00:33:59,760 when he says for it to me to live is Christ 447 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:02,120 and to die is gain. 448 00:34:04,860 --> 00:34:06,500 You see, while we're on the planet, 449 00:34:06,500 --> 00:34:11,400 we see Jesus crucified but one day we will see him 450 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:15,600 glorified and throned upon the throne. 451 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:17,940 To live is Christ, to die is gain. 452 00:34:17,940 --> 00:34:19,340 We gain the presence of Jesus 453 00:34:19,340 --> 00:34:21,040 and then there's one more thing that we gain. 454 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:26,060 We gain the promises of Jesus, the promises of Jesus. 455 00:34:27,160 --> 00:34:29,380 So many of the promises happen upon death. 456 00:34:29,380 --> 00:34:32,360 They are the gains that Paul is referring to. 457 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:34,720 Many promises that I've said happen on earth 458 00:34:34,720 --> 00:34:38,960 but many of them also happen as we get to heaven. 459 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:42,060 In Revelation chapter 21 verse four, 460 00:34:42,060 --> 00:34:44,040 John writes again about the throne room. 461 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:46,100 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 462 00:34:46,100 --> 00:34:47,740 There will be no longer any death, 463 00:34:47,740 --> 00:34:49,980 no longer any mourning or crying or pain. 464 00:34:49,980 --> 00:34:54,480 The first things have passed away, gain. 465 00:34:55,580 --> 00:35:00,320 Heaven's the place that every promise of Jesus 466 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:05,320 is untouched by human unbelief and sin. 467 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:08,600 It's untouched by temptation, untouched by lies, 468 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:10,300 untouched by the work of Satan. 469 00:35:11,860 --> 00:35:14,400 It is unmitigated blessing. 470 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:18,840 You get the full force of his love, 471 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:21,800 of his presence and his promises. 472 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,640 For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain. 473 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:26,680 Here's what you gain in death. 474 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:30,480 You gain in existence where there is no more Satan, 475 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:32,320 no more demons, no more sin. 476 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:33,620 Somebody say amen. 477 00:35:33,620 --> 00:35:35,320 I'll be happy to be there. 478 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:38,420 Every sin and temptation will be abolished. 479 00:35:38,420 --> 00:35:40,760 Every doubt will be vanquished. 480 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:44,840 Every dilemma explained, every question answered, 481 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:47,660 every fear and worry removed, 482 00:35:47,660 --> 00:35:50,200 every past experience resolved, 483 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:53,980 every theological dilemma understood for the first time, 484 00:35:53,980 --> 00:35:57,240 every tear dried, every hurt healed, 485 00:35:57,240 --> 00:35:59,620 every ache and pain eradicated, 486 00:35:59,620 --> 00:36:03,620 every holy desire satisfied, every promise fulfilled. 487 00:36:03,620 --> 00:36:06,680 Why is understood, who is finally seen, 488 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:09,720 how is fully shown, when is forever more. 489 00:36:09,720 --> 00:36:12,260 That's what you get when you get to heaven. 490 00:36:12,260 --> 00:36:13,900 You get all those things, amen. 491 00:36:13,900 --> 00:36:18,900 To live is Christ and to die is gain. 492 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:20,940 We gain all these and more. 493 00:36:20,940 --> 00:36:24,340 There's no way I can create an inexhaustible list 494 00:36:24,340 --> 00:36:27,780 because I don't know everything that you'll gain, 495 00:36:27,780 --> 00:36:28,880 but I know a lot of it. 496 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:35,680 Years ago, I read a poem by John Piper. 497 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:40,120 It was a long, long poem about judgment and fire 498 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:41,660 and then heaven. 499 00:36:41,660 --> 00:36:44,100 And I've actually read it several times 500 00:36:44,100 --> 00:36:46,760 to this congregation, but it's a long poem. 501 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:49,060 It's kind of complicated. 502 00:36:49,060 --> 00:36:53,940 And so I cut just a portion of it out for us today. 503 00:36:53,940 --> 00:36:55,740 This portion is about heaven. 504 00:36:55,740 --> 00:36:58,480 I want you to listen to the words he wrote years ago. 505 00:37:00,140 --> 00:37:02,720 He said, and as I knelt beside the brook, 506 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:03,820 this is in heaven, 507 00:37:03,820 --> 00:37:06,720 as I knelt beside the brook to drink eternal life, 508 00:37:06,720 --> 00:37:10,720 I took a glance across the golden grass 509 00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:13,960 and saw my dog, old Blackie, fast as she could come. 510 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:15,620 She leaped the stream almost 511 00:37:15,620 --> 00:37:18,900 and what a happy gleam was in her eyes. 512 00:37:18,900 --> 00:37:21,100 I knelt to drink and I knew I was on the brink 513 00:37:21,100 --> 00:37:23,260 of endless joy and everywhere I turned, 514 00:37:23,260 --> 00:37:24,540 I saw a wonder there. 515 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:26,940 A big man running on the lawn, 516 00:37:26,940 --> 00:37:29,480 that's old John Young with both legs on. 517 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:32,280 The blind can see a bird on wing. 518 00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:34,080 The dumb can lift their voice and sing. 519 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:35,380 The diabetic, he said, 520 00:37:35,380 --> 00:37:37,420 Will the coronary runs uphill. 521 00:37:37,420 --> 00:37:39,860 The lame can walk, the deaf can hear. 522 00:37:39,860 --> 00:37:42,120 The cancer-ridden bone is clear. 523 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:43,860 Arthritic joints are lithan free 524 00:37:43,860 --> 00:37:45,620 and every pain has ceased to be. 525 00:37:45,620 --> 00:37:47,300 And every sorrow deep within 526 00:37:47,300 --> 00:37:50,120 and every trace of lingering sad is gone. 527 00:37:51,900 --> 00:37:54,300 And all that's left is joy 528 00:37:54,300 --> 00:37:57,040 and endless ages to employ the mind and heart 529 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:00,540 and understand and love the sovereign Lord who planned that. 530 00:38:00,540 --> 00:38:05,040 It should take eternity to lavish all his grace on me. 531 00:38:06,580 --> 00:38:07,420 Do you like that? 532 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:12,080 To live is Christ. 533 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:14,380 To die is gain. 534 00:38:14,380 --> 00:38:17,280 We don't spend time thinking about the gain, do we? 535 00:38:18,780 --> 00:38:20,260 Think of both. 536 00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:23,260 You know, the way that life begins 537 00:38:23,260 --> 00:38:26,400 is with a relationship with Jesus by faith. 538 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:30,100 Jesus came to die on the cross to pay for my sins 539 00:38:30,100 --> 00:38:34,000 and then that death, he secured acceptance 540 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:36,940 to God on my behalf. 541 00:38:36,940 --> 00:38:37,780 He died for me. 542 00:38:37,780 --> 00:38:39,000 He died so I could have a life. 543 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:41,580 He died so that I could have a gain at death. 544 00:38:41,580 --> 00:38:43,540 He died so that you could have a life. 545 00:38:43,540 --> 00:38:44,640 You could have a life. 546 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:47,920 And that you would find gain in death. 547 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:49,280 It all begins right there. 548 00:38:51,180 --> 00:38:53,880 And the way you find that life 549 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:56,920 is to first begin a walk with Jesus by faith 550 00:38:56,920 --> 00:38:58,560 to forgive your sins 551 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,200 and then trust him every day after that. 552 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:03,160 Day in and day out, 553 00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:06,300 so you can say for me to live is Christ 554 00:39:06,300 --> 00:39:08,860 and to die is gain. 555 00:39:08,860 --> 00:39:10,200 I don't know how many of you today 556 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:12,980 have been on the brink of trusting Christ 557 00:39:12,980 --> 00:39:14,180 and just haven't done it yet. 558 00:39:14,180 --> 00:39:16,180 Haven't taken that step yet. 559 00:39:16,180 --> 00:39:17,680 It seems like such a simple step. 560 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:20,180 Maybe too simple for you. 561 00:39:20,180 --> 00:39:25,180 Maybe it's hard to fathom how a simple act of faith 562 00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:29,020 expressing trust in a prayer to Jesus Christ 563 00:39:29,020 --> 00:39:31,660 can open the door to this kind of blessing. 564 00:39:31,660 --> 00:39:33,360 But that's what grace is. 565 00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:35,600 Giving you what you don't deserve, 566 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:37,900 removing from you what you do. 567 00:39:37,900 --> 00:39:39,040 We deserve judgment. 568 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:40,800 We deserve death. 569 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:44,080 But he gives us grace instead through his son Jesus. 570 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:46,280 Paul knew that and that's why he said for me 571 00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:49,040 to live is Christ and to die is gain. 572 00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:51,080 I want you to have that same kind of love relationship 573 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:52,380 with Jesus today. 574 00:39:52,380 --> 00:39:54,920 Just a few moments, I'm gonna close in prayer. 575 00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:56,720 And we're gonna ask you to do three things. 576 00:39:56,720 --> 00:39:57,560 One of three things. 577 00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:58,760 First of all, 578 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:00,820 I would invite you to the decision stations 579 00:40:00,820 --> 00:40:03,100 that are at the back of our worship center. 580 00:40:03,100 --> 00:40:04,720 Stop by, talk to someone, 581 00:40:04,720 --> 00:40:07,800 and tell them I need to put my faith in Christ. 582 00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:09,360 Because I wanna be able to say like Paul 583 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:11,400 for me to live is Christ and die is gain. 584 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:13,600 We would love to talk to you about that. 585 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:14,740 That's invitation number one. 586 00:40:14,740 --> 00:40:16,380 Second invitation. 587 00:40:16,380 --> 00:40:18,440 Join me if you would in our guest reception room 588 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:19,940 outside the center exit door, 589 00:40:19,940 --> 00:40:22,520 just across the hallway, a glassed in room. 590 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:24,280 And I'd be there to love, 591 00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:25,720 I would love to tell you about our church 592 00:40:25,720 --> 00:40:28,360 and about the things that will connect you 593 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:29,860 with our church body. 594 00:40:29,860 --> 00:40:32,060 I'd love to visit with you if you're a guest today. 595 00:40:32,060 --> 00:40:33,500 And thirdly, I invite you back 596 00:40:33,500 --> 00:40:36,300 and I invite you to bring somebody with you. 597 00:40:36,300 --> 00:40:37,660 Because as we lead up to the cross, 598 00:40:37,660 --> 00:40:39,860 we're gonna have some great times this next week 599 00:40:39,860 --> 00:40:40,860 or 10 days. 600 00:40:40,860 --> 00:40:41,860 It'll be very special. 601 00:40:41,860 --> 00:40:44,140 Let's stand together as we have a word of prayer. 602 00:40:44,140 --> 00:40:44,960 Amen. 603 00:40:46,300 --> 00:40:47,880 Father, I am so grateful today 604 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:50,580 that to live is Christ and to die is gain 605 00:40:50,580 --> 00:40:53,820 for Paul's life and for every true believer. 606 00:40:53,820 --> 00:40:55,920 Today, my prayer is that your Holy Spirit 607 00:40:55,920 --> 00:40:58,920 would draw and convict those that have never 608 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:01,780 started that relationship with you. 609 00:41:01,780 --> 00:41:03,960 And if they don't take that step of faith, 610 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:07,120 they'll miss out on what all this means. 611 00:41:07,120 --> 00:41:10,020 And Lord, I pray today that you just not let them leave, 612 00:41:10,020 --> 00:41:13,240 just give them a conviction that they need today 613 00:41:13,240 --> 00:41:15,700 to respond in faith to you. 614 00:41:16,700 --> 00:41:18,500 And Lord, today I pray that those of us 615 00:41:18,500 --> 00:41:21,840 who have made that decision will learn 616 00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:24,400 to say like Paul, to live is Christ, 617 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:26,240 to die is gain. 618 00:41:26,240 --> 00:41:27,780 It'll help us to serve you well, 619 00:41:27,780 --> 00:41:30,980 help us to fulfill our mission and our purpose. 620 00:41:30,980 --> 00:41:34,020 God, thank you so much for calling us to this life. 621 00:41:34,020 --> 00:41:37,180 We ask this in Jesus' name, amen.