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This morning, we're going to embark upon a monumental text. It is the heartbeat of the
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Christian life. The very heartbeat. It's the systolic and the dystolic. It's the highs and the lows.
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It's the center of everything. It is the very heartbeat. This may be some people's life's verse.
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For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
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That is such a paradox to a natural, carnal man. He cannot understand that unless the eyes of his heart has been opened.
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So this morning, we're going to embark, if you will, I invite you to take your Bibles. Please turn with me to the book of Philippians.
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Beloved, this is a wonderful text, and I've never seen the depths. I've just always read it and kept moving and just embraced it, but there is so much meat here.
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This will take you all the way to glory. So this morning, we're going to look into this prison epistle.
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Go with me right now. We're going to look at this prison epistle. This is the year of 62
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AD. The Apostle Paul, who was once Saul, is on house arrest in Rome.
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Rome had always been in his crosshairs. Why is this? Because it was the epicenter of the world.
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He said if he could get to Rome, basically, it would make a ripple effect, and the gospel would go out into all the world.
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He wanted to go to the center. So Paul is on house arrest, and he's writing this small epistle to the church in Philippi to encourage them.
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They had supported him many times and had given him funds in his ministry endeavors and his four missionary endeavors, but they're thinking they're going to encourage him, but he's wanting to encourage them in his bondage, in his chains.
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That's just how God is. This has a whole book about joy, and it's not just joy, it's joy in Christ no matter what your circumstance is.
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That's the secret, but he had to learn this. Christ learned obedience, but I want you to do not be encouraged today.
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This is coming from an aged man. This is coming from a mature saint.
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This is our goal as he's looking unto Christ. Christ is our goal, but you will see this comes through many, many cuts on that diamond, and that diamond one day will soon be so radiant, and will be put in the breastplace and crown of Christ, and that's what you will be.
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So this morning, let us look at chapter one, and I'm only going to look, this is only one verse.
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I don't want to read the context. I'm going to focus on one verse. You miss this, you'll miss it all. Hear the word of God, for when we open this
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Bible and read, it's God that speaks. For to me, to live is
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Christ, and to die is gain. Let's pray.
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O Father, what wondrous love is this, O my soul. How excellent is your name.
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It charms all our fears. Lord, we ask humbly, will your spirit anoint,
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Lord, this feeble worm? Will it anoint the people that will be listening? Lord, God, you are the audience, and I preach,
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I want to preach with all my heart. You're worthy, you are worthy.
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That's the only thing left to say, you are worthy. That's all that life sums up to be, is you are worthy.
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So Father, help us, give us eyes to glean, burn this afresh in our hearts today, and may it put wind in our sails to press on.
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We ask this in Jesus' name, amen. So this morning, as I mentioned,
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I had a great experience, and my co -worker was, we were riding along, actually right here on this road, right by McEachern High School, we've been working here all week.
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So we were riding along, and I had my co -worker captive, because he had rode with me, I'm He's riding with me, and I was like, wow,
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I have him captive, he can't run anywhere, he can't leave me. So he started to carry on the conversation, and he brings up, wouldn't it be so nice to get in an
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RV and just travel the world, and just work in all different places? I'm sure you may have had this own experience too, just to be like a bird, and be free, and fly, and just fly.
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And then I ask, what then? He got really quiet, and so I ask again, if you had everything, all your pleasures, all your desires, and you had unlimited funds, you could just do whatever you pleased, whatever your heart's desire, what then?
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Complete silence. So I was compelled to ask him finally, because I haven't had the opportunity to really go to the heart of the issue.
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His heart issue. What are you living for?
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What are you living for? So that's what the title of this message is, fill in the blank.
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Not only that question for him, but the questions for you. What are you living for?
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Perhaps the best way to approach this is to consider various answers that have been given throughout history. This comes from Martin Lloyd Jones, and he was a man on fire for God.
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There's large numbers, as you know, that don't even ponder the thought of why they exist.
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This is tragic. Life to them just means an existence like a plant or flower.
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Life is so precious, beloved. There's nothing precious than a soul. Life, never to stop and ponder one moment, but to go from day to day, eating and drinking without any thought is beyond all tragic.
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So there are many views, like a hurricane, that dominate our society today. And they've done this throughout history.
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They dominate, they deceive, and they damn souls. So it's good to call them out.
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And let us consider a few. Because there's a million ways to hell, but only one way to heaven. So we're going to bring out a couple of these views of life.
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As you know, there's a very humanistic view. What feels right, what is right for me, must be right for you.
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Stay with me. There's an Epicurean view that was very present in the day of Paul's ministry.
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And that was, eat, drink, and be merry. And that still applies today.
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Can you imagine your life existing from just a meal to a little mountaintop?
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And that's all that you can string together at the end of your life? And that's all that your appetite and eulogy can be spoken of?
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Was your monumental little highs? Monumental little pleasures? So sad.
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Then there's a Stoic view that says, we're just putting up with it. We just stiffen our necks, and we'll just make it.
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It's just how determined I can press on and hold on. The world has many therapy programs.
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Twelve steps, three steps, eight steps. Get your eyes off yourself. This is the problem.
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We'll keep going. I don't want to ponder too long on this. There's a Cynic view. There's a
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Mystic view. And you know where Mysticism leads? It leads to all different paths.
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You'll be pies in the sky. You'll be all over the place. But then, this is the one where it starts to get at home.
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There's the Religious view of life. You see this in Reformed circles.
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You see this in our circles, in our camps. I believe Reformed theology is just Biblical truth.
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But, we can cling to confessions of faith. We can cling to man -centered ordinations.
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We can consider to man's ways. This is summed up by duties, by being very active inside and outside the building.
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Never having a deep heart spade. Never getting alone with God. Never asking
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God, Search me, O God! And see if there be any wicked way. Never no deep spading of the heart.
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Why is this? Because they're so lifted up in pride and knowledge has become their God. And not
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God Himself, the of all knowledge. Missed the whole mark. No one makes
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Christ Lord, He is Lord. And these views are very tragic.
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And I want you, beloved, if you look at all these right here, you can probably summarize what is common and what is...
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They're all man -centered. They're all full of self. Self -pleasure.
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Self -preservation. Self -dependence. Jesus said unto His disciples in Matthew 16, 24,
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The first term of being my disciple is denying yourself. That's the first term.
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Deny yourself. Where is this today? He also followed it up with another profound truth right after that in verse 25.
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It says, For whosoever shall save his life shall lose it. And whoever will lose it for my sake shall find it.
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That is glorious. So let me ask you, what are you living for?
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No one leaves this question blank. Not one leaves this question blank. Let me help you answer this question.
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Here's some assistance. Maybe it's kind of cloudy and fuzzy. Where do you spend your time and money?
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As Jesus said, Where your treasure is, there your heart will also be. In Matthew 6, 21. In the greatest sermon ever preached.
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Here's another aid to help you. Where do your thoughts go in your spare time? Proverbs 23, 7 says,
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As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. If the answer is still not becoming clear by now, let's continue on.
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Where do you turn in crisis and trials and hardships? Where do you turn? Let me keep probing.
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Maybe it's becoming clear what one thing, object or person, gives you delight just to meditate upon.
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Beloved, that's searching and convicting. Don't be discouraged this morning. If we cannot say,
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For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain.
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Beloved, but if you're on that path, as Pastor always says, it's not perfection, but direction.
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It's direction. If you cannot answer
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Christ, if you can answer Christ this morning, Beloved, if you can honestly answer this and say,
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Christ, for me to live, is Christ. You are the most cherished and most highly prized possession here that has a breath in here.
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Because Christ says, I love my own. I love you.
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So if you can answer Christ, praise the Lord. But truth be, there's very few of us that may can answer this truthfully.
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Because spiritual maturity described here is from an aged apostle that is facing death.
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Death is not a rosemary lens. This is right before his face. He's on house arrest like a caged animal in Rome.
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And it's right before him. Caesar just plays with death as if he's God. And he just wills it the way, whatever way he wants.
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He's so corrupt. Nothing's changed. So to frame this text, as I already said, the year was 62
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A .D. in Rome. Paul's being charged for an insurrectionist against the empire there in Rome.
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Basically, he's preaching Christ. That he has power.
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He has all authority. So this morning,
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I just have one point with four headings. One point. I have a one -point sermon to live as Christ.
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But I have four headings that flow to that one point. This morning, I want you to look at this with me.
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If you look at your text, again, for to me will be part number one.
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That's a personal relationship. Let me spin this around for you.
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Does it help? For to me is a personal relationship.
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To live is a practical relationship that is practicing. It's a possible relationship because of this one person.
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And last, it's a profitable relationship because to die is gain. And I pray that you will remember this in a time of trial and sorrow.
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This is the Christian view of life. This is the way to heaven. It's a personal relationship for to me.
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So let's dive into that. Notice that one word that's common in all of this right here.
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Relationship. Relationship is everything. That's what it was before the fall and before sin had entered this world.
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It was endless, perfect, constant abiding and fellowship with God.
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No hindrances. So personal relationship. For to me, this is not second -hand experience.
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This is a first -hand experience. For I know whom I believe in and I'm persuaded that He is able to keep that which
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I've entrusted to that day. Not I feel, not I hope, not
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I have to muster it up with Him. I know. And beloved,
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I'm going to share this with you. We cannot enjoy full assurance with partial obedience. I'm going to say that again.
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Hear me out. You cannot enjoy full assurance with partial obedience. And that's convicting.
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So if you look at this, Paul is saying in verse 21, for to me, he's basically saying regardless,
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I don't care what my friends, family or foes are doing. But for to me, this is real to me.
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This is first in my life. I don't care what my family, friends or foes are doing.
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But for to me. Can you say that? Is this most real to you?
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I don't have anything going on in my life that is not under the lordship of Christ is what Paul is saying. Take this, flip with me real quick back to John.
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John chapter 20. I want you to look at something right here how our beloved Savior deals with us.
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He had every right, and you know Jesus, you all know this brothers and sisters, He is at most home in the midst of His people.
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That's where He desires to be, in the midst of His people. In the church, walking. Look at verse 24.
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We're going to read 24 -29. This is Thomas. And you've got to love this. Now Thomas called the twin.
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One of the twelve was not with Him when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to Him, We have seen the
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Lord. So He said to them, Unless I see in His hands the print of His nails, and put my finger into the print of His nails, and put my hand into His side,
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I will not believe. Wow. Your mouth rattles and tattles on you.
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And after eight days, His disciples were with Him again. This is a week following right after.
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So notice Thomas wasn't there the first week of the first Lord's Day, after Christ had arisen.
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There could have been a lot of pain and discouragement put to death if He had been present in the
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Lord's Day. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. And after eight days,
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His disciples were with Him again, and Thomas with them. He's here the second week. Jesus came to the doors, being shut, and stood in the midst and said,
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You lowlifes, you all forsook Me? How dare you?
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You backsliders? You temporary apostates? Did He say that?
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No, He didn't do that. He didn't do that. He could have. This is what the
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Lord says to Him. To them all, Peace to you. Peace to you.
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That is such a tender statement of love. Then He said to Thomas, Thomas, reach your finger here and look at My hands and reach your hand here and put it into My side.
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Don't be unbelieving, but believing. And Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my
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God. Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed.
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Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. If we are unbelieving, it is not
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His fault. It is not His fault. For He goes out of His way to teach us and to strengthen our faith.
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This was to strengthen unbelieving Thomas. Thomas is present in body, but absent in spirit the second week of Jesus returning on the
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Lord's day. Notice how tender Jesus deals with an unbelieving and doubting soul.
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This is how He deals with you and I. We are so weak, so ignorant, so prone to unbelief that our
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Lord will do anything to create and He condescends to our lowest state.
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If we cannot eat the meat that is fit for men, He does not go weary in giving us milk.
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He chases away the unbelief. Just as the shepherd always does providing and protecting.
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So this is what He does with Thomas. He chases away Thomas' unbelief and He says, basically, touch me.
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Notice what Thomas says, my Lord and my God. Do you see the my right there? The Lord is my shepherd.
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The Lord is my shepherd. So this is, if you flip back, let's go back to Philippians.
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Notice this is a personal relationship first and foremost. This is not second hand.
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For to me is basically the same as saying my Lord and my
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God. The Lord is my shepherd. Look at the next.
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To live is Christ. To live, not just exist, but this is the highest form of life the way
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God intended it. What do you mean by that? In constant abiding fellowship without sin.
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If you notice here, if you look at the text, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Do you notice how closely living and dying is?
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It's just a few words. It's separated by a comma. Psalm 39 verse 5 says,
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Behold, you have made my days as a few hand breaths and my lifetime is nothing before you.
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Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath. Notice living and dying is inseparable.
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Hebrews 9 verse 27 says, It's appointed unto man to once to die, then comes the judgment.
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Beloved, if you miss a lot of appointments, there's one appointment you'll never miss. You can take that and cash it in.
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So if you look at this, it has been said, I don't know who said this, but I love the quote. It has been said that a man is not ready to live until he's ready to die.
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It has been said that a man is not ready to live until he's ready to die. Because he has already the end goal in mind.
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The Apostle Paul is ready to die. He says, No matter if I'm so torn,
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I'm like being pulled. I'm like a tug of war. I'd rather stay, but I'd rather... It's a win -win.
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It's a win -win. It's a win -win. I'm torn, but I'm going to win.
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We win. It's a win -win no matter what. But you remember in Acts chapter 9, there was a time this man didn't serve the
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Lord, and there was a time in your life you didn't serve the Lord. You were an enemy of God.
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You were either that prodigal that left and went and lived in the pig slop, or you were the elder son that stayed at home in your own self -righteousness.
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You're one or the other. You're one or the other. We were all enemies of God.
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There's none, not one that's righteous. Stephen Lawson said, if your religion hasn't transformed you, change your religion.
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You know, all of us at one time has lived independently of God. The Proverbs says, as a man thinks in his heart, yeah, so is he.
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But then it says, a man has many plans, but it leads to death.
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We all think what's right in our own eyes until the Lord God opens the eyes of our hearts and shows us.
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So in Acts chapter 9, if you look at this, you'll see an enemy of God. He hated the name of Christ.
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He hated anyone associated with Christ. He was on that Damascus road, and God struck him off his high horse and knocked him to his back.
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What happened that day? What happened? I can tell you so simple.
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He saw Christ. He saw a glimpse of His beauty. And he said,
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Lord, what shall I have me do? Put me in service. I'm ready to serve. He was knocked off of his horse.
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This is a template for all of our salvation. It may not happen in this form, but it's almost a template.
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You will be humbled, you will be broken, and you must see the glimpse and the glory of Christ. Not only that, grace picks you up and takes you to the
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Savior dying upon a tree that makes a propitiation for your sins, and you see where your sins are put to death.
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And the burden falls off, and you get up, and that's when you fly. Paul says in Philippians 3 .8,
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All things I previously in my life I count as done. I count as done to know
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Christ. This is not just a knowledge of head knowledge.
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This is an intimacy of knowledge of walking, talking, working, dancing, eating, drinking.
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This is that intimacy that we're talking about. That's what no means. Leonard Ravenhill, one of pastor's favorite preachers, this fire brand, he once said,
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Are the things you're living for worth Christ dying for? Are the things you are living for right now worth
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Christ dying for? Boy, I don't know. That's a searchlight. So, Paul recognizes that Jesus has the right to rule his life.
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He's first place in everything. He's first place in my conversations. He's first place in my job.
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He's first place in ministry, as pastor already mentioned. He's first place in the church. He's first place in homeschooling.
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He's first place in a mother. He's first place in a father. He's first place in athletics.
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He's first place in worship. He's first place in eating. He's first place in going hiking.
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He's first place in everything. Jesus Christ is the undisputed
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Lord and He has no rivals. None. Nothing excited the apostle
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Paul at the time of death than beholding and gazing upon and meditating upon the
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Lord Jesus Christ. This was a man that was in jail and that jail was on fire.
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Nothing excited his heart more. He was fired up for Christ. And you know, it's like if you went to a gas station and you put gas in your car and didn't go, you'd say this gas ain't worth nothing.
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So I would ask you, is what you're putting in you, is it compelling you to be holy?
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Because if it's not, it's nothing. It's Christ that compels you. It's Christ's love, as pastor already mentioned.
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It's His love. Christ died for me. For me.
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If not, if not, if He's not first, you've left your first love. You have left your first love.
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And this can happen so quickly. So quickly. If not, your heart is lukewarm.
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You know, beloved, we must flee from sin, but we must flee from even the appearance of sin.
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This is getting down to the nitty gritty. That's taking serious sin. Not just abstain from it, even the appearance of it.
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That's what I want to desire even more. Just even the appearance. A lukewarm heart is always too much in this world.
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A lukewarm heart is easily seduced by the things of this world. A lukewarm heart always halts between two opinions when a decision needs to be made.
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It operates in the gray areas, not the yes and no. It operates in the maybes.
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So how do we spark that devotion? Beloved, I can say this. Cry out to Him. Stir up the
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Gospel. Preach the Gospel to yourselves daily. How to spark your devotion?
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Pray and cry out. Get along. The secret of prayer is praying in secret. Sometimes ditch your reading plan.
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Ditch it. Because we get so downcast that we haven't kept up and we haven't done this. Ditch it.
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Ditch it. And do something sporadic. Just do something.
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Because it's not a mandate to have every day a quiet time. It's to steadily be filled with the
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Word. That's what matters. Sometimes we make a devotion, maybe an idol, in thinking we're righteous because of our devotion.
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Let it go on to worship. Get in a community. Change the media.
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Maybe play audio books. Maybe get Lagos or Olive Tree. Just get in a community that will stir you up.
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So, moving on. Christ is the power of our life.
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Don't let this verse lose its power. I know it's been so tarnished and used in worldly means.
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It's Philippians 4 .13. When you feel the duties and stresses of life and you're stretched beyond, let
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His power strengthen you to do His will. Not your will.
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It's His will. And that's when the power comes. It's not to fulfill my lust and my pleasures.
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Jesus doesn't bless lust and pleasure. Moving on.
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Point number three. This is a possible relationship. For to me, to live is
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Christ. This relationship with God can only be because of Christ and none other.
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It's not from a family. It's not from a dad. It's not from a mother. It's not from association with a building.
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It's all because this relationship is only possible because of Christ. How can a holy
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God and a sinful man be reconciled? He would die. He would perish.
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We must hide ourselves in Christ. Jesus Christ is not a footnote to our lives.
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He must be your life. He's your source to draw from. Draw from Him. He's the fountain that never ceases to end.
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So how can this creature from the dirt made in the image of God that defies the holy and living God whose heart is deceitfully wicked, evil continually, be reconciled to a holy
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God that cannot even look upon sin? How can it happen? Through Christ.
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Christ and Christ alone. Solo Christus. He is the just and the justifier.
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The entire Bible has already been mentioned as a story about redemption. It's a living love story.
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It's not a dead love story. This is a living love story. He walks with me.
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Not He walked with me. No, no. He walks with me. He talks with me. And He tells me
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I'm His friend. Is He your friend this day?
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The whole Bible is about a redemption. It's about a love story. And everything points to Christ.
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The Old Testament said He's coming. The four gospels says He's here. The book of Acts proclaim
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Him. The epistles explain Him. And the book of Revelation said He's coming back. He's coming back.
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So if you missed Christ, you missed it all. Lastly, it's a profitable relationship.
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To die is gain. That word gain is profitable. And it's not filthy lucre. This is the great paradox.
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This is where the kingdom, the pyramid is turned upside down. This is a great paradox.
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Because if you cannot answer that question for to live is Christ, to die will only be a loss.
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It will only be a loss. It'll be a great tragedy. And I'm sure you've been to some funerals and it's a tragedy.
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And it is grieving. You want to bury your face to live a whole life, like I said, of all those different stoics, cynics, mystics, humanistic, all these different views of life and come to an end.
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It's all a loss. It's all a loss. But oh, if you can say to live for Christ, you've already tasted heaven.
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You've already tasted heaven. And soon, like I already mentioned, that diamond will be cut and cut and cut.
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And it won't matter how many times it's cut. Because the more it cuts, the more it shines. And that diamond will luster and be put upon His diadem and His crown and His breastplate of righteousness.
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And you will be a reward to Him. But if you cannot honestly answer that and say to live is
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Christ, to die will be only a loss, I said. There may be someone in here facing death or someone may be listening in the future or later on.
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They can answer this. When they say to live is Christ, you can honestly say in that hour when death comes to that doorstep, oh, death, where is your sting?
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Oh, death, where is your victory? Where is it? You will be able to stand firm and kiss that wave and that moment that beats you upon the rock of ages because you get a greater presence of His glory and He comes to your side.
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He draws near to those that are broken and contrite in spirit. They're getting blessed. You wish you were that blessed.
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This is the rock of ages that spoke to the winds and waves like a puppy dog and said it, sit!
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And it sat. They still obey Him. He's sovereign.
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He controls everything. Oh, to go to bed and lay your head on that pillow of sovereignty every night and to say
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He talks, He walks, He provides, He protects, He doeth all things well and He's going to only do it for His glory and I'm a beneficiary of this glorious thing.
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Soon. So what are we gaining? Streets of gold and stuff like that are nice, but if you will, turn to 1
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John 3 and I'll tell you what you're going to be gaining. I love these three verses.
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1, 2, and 3. 1 John 3 Let this be a balm to your soul this morning.
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This is what you're going to be gaining. You ready?
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Behold, what manner of love is this? What wondrous love is this? The Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God.
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Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be.
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But we know that when He is revealed we shall be like Him.
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For we shall what? See Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.
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What will you gain? No more sin. No more repentance. No more grief.
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No more sorrow. No more sweat of the brow because there will be endless joy.
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Never to sin again. Never to confess sin again. Can you fathom that? Never to repent again.
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Fathom that. We shall fellowship with all the saints to all the glory and rejoice.
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There is no better country than this. The last greatest thing as we just read you will see
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Him face to face. When you purchase something here in this land they give you a receipt.
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You are going to receive the receipt. And it was in His hands and His side. The receipt for your salvation of your soul of eternity forever.
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On that day when He went to that cross there was a great transaction. It was a transaction between the
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Father and the Son. Nothing was paid to Satan. He paid it all.
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It was in full. Nothing less. Nothing more. And He got what He paid for. He got what
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He paid for. He will receive this. Go with me with John 17 24 and I will show you another promise that is soon to be fulfilled.
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This prayer is about to be answered. This prayer is about to be answered.
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John 17 24 The High Priestly Prayer This was
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Jesus' prayer. Father I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am.
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That they may behold my glory which you have given me for you love me before the foundation of the world.
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That was Jesus' prayer to the Father. Father I desire they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory.
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His prayer is soon to be fulfilled and we will see that glory. So we all have a chief pursuit for to me to live is
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Christ to die is gain. This is a personal relationship a practical relationship a possible relationship and it is a profitable relationship.
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And you can take that to the bank and cash it in. Not because I said it because this is the word of God.
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So my question again is what are you living for? For you to live is what?
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If you are living for Christ death will be a gateway and a handmaiden to take you home to eternity where there will be an unrivaled endless communion and fellowship with the greatest love of your life the one that loved you more than your own life.
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So how can this be? Because we trust and cling to the one that conquered what conquered us.
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And that's death. That's the consequences of sin is death. So my application,
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I pray the Spirit has already made an application throughout this sermon turn with me to Isaiah 45 the whole book of Isaiah got 39 chapters about judgment 29 about grace.
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And that's only through the Beloved Son. Verse 45 just hear this one verse.
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This is why people have problems. They look to themselves and they will perish.
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They look to themselves and they are miserable forevermore. This is what the word of God says.
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Look to me and be saved all you ends of the earth for I am
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God and there is no other. Love so amazing so divine this love is an out of the world type of love.
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It didn't originate here it never started here it came from the throne above. That was a covenant of redemption before there was time.
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This love came down it came down in the form of a meek and lowly servant that came to wash his disciples feet to redeem us, to restore us the image of God to make us back in His image.
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He is the great master builder. He is the master. And He is making us more and more into His image.
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And He is going to perfect that which concerns you. So with that said let us worship
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Him in spirit and truth and just continue to gaze upon His beauty all the days of our lives.
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Let's pray. Our Father we thank
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You that this relationship Lord we thank
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You that You went to the cross for the joy set before You You set
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Your face like a flint nothing was going to stop You from doing the
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Father's will. Lord will You Lord give us that kind of unction not to turn to our right not to turn to our left for to live is
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Christ. Lord You said if You love me You will obey me. Lord we want to have that blessed assurance.
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Sin has robbed us it has duped us and made us retards. So Father I pray
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Lord will You restore what the locusts have eaten. Lord may we be used as vessels of honor.
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Lord until You return Oh God we thank You for Your loving kindness for it is better than life itself.
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And we will praise Your name forever and ever. If we had a thousand tongues we would never stop praising
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You. Lord we love You and we thank You Lord Jesus. We ask this in Your name that is above all names.