Scripture referenced 14 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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Philippians 1:12 Paul saying what happened to him turned out for the furtherance of the gospel
12 Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News;
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Keep this verse
Philippians 1:13
it became evident to the whole palace guard that his chains were in Christ
13 so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ;
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Philippians 1:14
brethren became confident by his chains and spoke the word more boldly
14 and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.
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Philippians 1:15-17
some preach Christ from envy and strife, others from goodwill and love
15 Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.
16 The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;
17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.
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Philippians 1:18
whether in pretense or truth Christ is preached, and in this Paul rejoices
18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.
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Philippians 1:19
it will turn out for his deliverance through their prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ
19 For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
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Philippians 1:20
with all boldness Christ will be magnified in his body whether by life or by death
20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.
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Philippians 1:21
for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
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Philippians 1:22
if he lives on in the flesh this will mean fruit from his labor
22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose.
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Philippians 1:23
hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better
23 But I am in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
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Philippians 1:24-26
to remain in the flesh is more needful for them, for their progress and joy of faith
24 Yet, to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.
25 Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.
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Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives in me
20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
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1 John 1:9
when we confess our sin God is faithful and just to forgive us of all unrighteousness
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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1 Corinthians 11:23-25
the words of institution over the bread and cup on the night Jesus was betrayed
23 For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread.
24 When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.”
25 In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.”
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
Pastor Ray picked back up in Philippians after two weeks away, centering the message on one verse: "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." He worked through what Paul actually meant by that and pressed the congregation to answer the same question honestly for themselves, especially as they came to communion.
What was said
Paul wrote Philippians from a Roman prison, and the passage leading into verse 21 makes that context unavoidable. He had already told the Philippians that his arrest, his transport, his shipwreck, all of it had worked out for the furtherance of the gospel. Even the people preaching Christ for the wrong reasons, out of envy or selfish ambition, did not shake him. Christ was being preached, and in that Paul rejoiced.
The statement "for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" is Paul's governing principle, the foundation everything else is built on. Pastor Ray pointed out that in the Greek the word "is" is not even there. The construction is that stark: to live, Christ. To die, gain. Paul had settled the question, and because he had settled it, it shaped every decision he made.
The Galatians passage about being crucified with Christ filled out what "to live is Christ" actually means. Paul was not just grateful to be saved. He understood that his old self had died with Christ, that it was Christ now living through him, and that living that way meant carrying the gospel forward and sharing it with others.
Pastor Ray was clear that this sermon does not land on the "to die is gain" side. Paul addresses that, he admits he would rather depart and be with Christ, but he does not stay there. He lands on remaining in the flesh because that is more needful for the Philippians. The choosing of life was not for Paul's own sake. It was for theirs, for their progress and their joy in the faith.
The practical weight of the message was the blank Paul leaves for each person to fill in. For to me, to live is blank, and to die is blank. Some people fill it with family, or money, or, as Pastor Ray noted, some answer it the way Solomon does in Ecclesiastes, with meaninglessness. Whatever a person puts in that blank is the thing that actually governs how they live, whether they name it or not.
Communion brought the question to a point. Pastor Ray said that taking the bread and the cup is itself an answer to the question. If someone is trusting in their own good works, their theology, or their own goodness, they have not understood what the table is. The elements represent the one person who lived a perfect life and paid the penalty for sin, and receiving them is a declaration that to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- Pastor Ray described Paul being able to let go of the fact that some people were preaching Christ for the wrong reasons, saying 'Christ is preached, and in this I rejoice.' Is there a situation in your own life where you are holding on to how something is being done rather than whether Christ is being honored through it?
- Pastor Ray pointed out that Paul's statement 'to live is Christ, to die is gain' was the governing principle that shaped everything Paul did. What principle or belief actually governs the daily decisions you make, and how do you know?
and 3 more questions in the guide
Read the full transcript 6,871 words
0:00
Speaker 1It is the week of Thanksgiving and I put it in the sermon in several places so that I remember to say that because we're just going to roll on like we always do in Philippians, you know? But would you stand up and let's sing some thankful songs this morning? Hymn number seven eighty six will start off with count your blessings.
0:23
Speaker 2When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed when you are discouraged thinking all is lost count your many blessings name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done count your blessings name them one by one count your blessings see what God have your blessings name them one by one count your many blessings see what God have done are you ever burdened with a load of care does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear count your many blessings every doubt will fly and you will be singing as the days go by count your blessings name them one by one count your blessings see what God have done count your blessings name them one by one count your many blessings see what God has done when you look at others with their lands and gold think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold money cannot buy your reward in heaven or your home count your blessing name them one by one count your blessings see what God hath your blessings name them one by one count your many blessings see what God have so amid the conflict whether great or small do not be discouraged God is over count your many blessings angels will help and comfort give you to your journeys count your blessings name them one by one count your blessings see what God hath your blessings name them one one count your many blessings see what God have done
3:21
Speaker 1so in the church that I grew up in which I got to be there a couple weeks ago every time we sang that song, we stopped between the verses and we gave chance for everybody who had something they wanted to say to say it. Count your blessings. Name one. Anybody? Anybody?
3:35
Family? Church. Church? Health. Health.
3:41
Second bad opinion. That's good. Jesus, amen. We gather together to ask. Thank you very much.
3:48
We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing. Would you sing with us hymn number seven ninety?
3:59
Speaker 2Together to ask the Lord's blessing he chastens and hastens his will to make known the wicked oppressing now see he's from distressing sing praises to his name he forgets not his own beside us to guide us our God with us joining ordaining his kingdom divine so from the beginning the fight we were winning the Lord were at our side all glory be thine. Wait for the key change. All do extol thee thou lead a triumphant and pray that thou will our defender will be let thy congregation escape tribulation thy name be ever praised oh Lord make us free
5:24
Speaker 1Amen. Y'all can have a seat. I have a few announcements this morning. There was a discovery class this morning in my office in between services for anybody who wanted to be a member of the church, and that goes on every third Sunday. So if you want to, you can come early, I think.
5:43
I'm looking around. Most of y'all are members. So that's happened. Blake, thank you. Happy Thanksgiving, by the way, and if you're thinking about Monday night, you're thinking I'm gonna be stuck eating a Swanson's TV dinner by myself, you could instead come here.
5:59
We will have turkey, and it's a potluck for everyone to bring the fixins around the turkeys at Monday nights at first B, which happens at six. We'll have meal, music, and an encouraging message tomorrow night at 06:00. This happened yesterday. So this is a group. It's kinda dark to see up there, but this is a group of 10 or 12 of us that showed up yesterday for a Habitat for Humanity build at the Grove project, which is right there.
6:26
It's not far from us at all. Really nice set of homes being built, and let's see. There's Marcus Shaver up a ladder doing a little work, and there's Carl carrying a bucket doing some work. I don't know exactly what Carl was involved in. I was doing carpentry.
6:43
I think he was doing painting, moving, this, that, and the other. It's really nice when we can get together apart from just getting together here and do something good for folks. So that was a fun time for us. Thanksgiving this week has eclipsed a few events. There's no middle school youth group on Tuesday.
7:00
There's no men's fraternity on Wednesday, and there's no high school youth group. But we do have a high school boys group that meets during the 09:00 service, and they did today down there. December 10, we're having a combined service. It'll be both services together. So if you get here at eleven on December 10, you're gonna be late.
7:21
Alright? December 10, we're having a Christmas play. The spirit of Christmas is happening. It'll be a Christmas play with many children and a few adults, right? You have anything else you want to add to that?
7:34
Oh, fantastic. That's good. That's good. That's always good too. So that'll be fun.
7:41
December 10, combined service, 10:00, Christmas play, and then a reception to follow. Ladies, y'all will be getting one of these if you have not gotten already. December 13 in Snow King's Grand Ballroom, there'll be a ladies Christmas luncheon. Y'all are all invited, but please do RSVP to Nancy Irwin because we do need to know how many people are coming. So if you would, that invitation has her number right there and has an email address right there, but ask for one.
8:11
If you don't get one, ask for one. All of you are invited, but the place does fill up pretty quick, so let her know early so we can see how many people are coming along. Also, we're going to have two services on Christmas Eve, and Bailey, who is in charge of our nursery coordinators, would like, to have some additional child care volunteers. So child care volunteers are needed for the Christmas Eve services. 04:30 and six is when we're doing them.
8:39
So if you're interested in helping, if you're able, would you get in touch with Bailey Morley, although her email address is baileyklarsongmail dot com. And I think that that's it. The park bench is a part of our set up here. We are not gonna reenact Forrest Gump. Alright.
8:59
It's not a part of the other, but for any other announcements and prayer requests, anything like that, can check-in your paper bulletin. If you didn't get one on the way in, get one on your way out and you'll have that. Anybody have anything else I forgot? Hearing none, would y'all stand and greet one another and we'll bring you back together with a very thankful song. How are you?
10:40
Alright. Hymn number seven ninety one is Jesus we just want to thank you.
10:58
Speaker 2Jesus, we just want to thank you Jesus we just want to thank you Jesus we just want to thank you thank you for being so good Jesus we just want to praise you Jesus we just want to praise you Jesus we just want to praise you praise you for being so savior we just want to serve you to savior we just want to serve we just want to serve you serve you for being so good Jesus we know you are Jesus we know you are coming coming we know you are coming take us to live in your home
12:40
Speaker 1access to the father is through Jesus For that, we're thankful to Jesus but we're also thankful to father God. So, hymn number one forty one is father God.
13:00
Speaker 2Father God I give all thanks and praise to thee father God my hands I humbly raise to thee for thy mighty me
14:12
Speaker 1I have the frontline team come forward and the rest of y'all can have a seat. Would you pray with me? God, I thank you for the blessing of the of, of life, of family, of health. Lord, I'm thankful for the blessings that I've had for the past couple of weeks to be in service elsewhere and God, I praise you for how you work, how you give, how you supply. Lord, I ask you right now that you would bless gift and giver, that you would multiply the gift and that you would draw the giver closer and closer into intimate fellowship with you.
15:00
Lord, I thank you for that your commands are not burdensome. And I thank you lord that when we are obedient to those commands, we see it. We see more clearly what it is that you have for us. In Jesus name, Lord, I thank you that we are here together this morning. Ask your blessing that the gospel would be advanced through our giving back of these tithes and offerings.
17:49
That sounds fun. That was a lot of different songs in there too. Just when I would get to singing one, I'd changed over to another one. But they're all tied together. What's that?
18:03
At the beginning of the first service this morning was the most nervous I have been since I've ever been at First Bee, and that's saying something. So I finally am calmed down. I hope the sermon goes better this time, all right? I'm glad that you're all here with me. I'm glad to be back.
18:20
We are gonna continue. I don't have one specifically for Thanksgiving, specific message for Thanksgiving. We're gonna continue in our chronological study. We're up to Philippians one nineteen, and we're gonna go through 26. Right in the kind of the middle of that, 21 I'm gonna spend a little time on.
18:38
One twenty one I'm gonna spend a little time on. But I wanted to mention, so for the past two weeks, you know I haven't been here. If you've been here, you know I haven't been here. I had the chance with Carl, so it's not a chance we get to go often together. Either I'm gone or he's gone somewhere.
18:53
But in in the place of a pastoral retreat, that's what we were kinda counting it to ourselves. We, as the pastors, were retreating, and we got back. We also helped out Melissa Reese who used used to attend this service, and she was moving to Tampa, Florida. And so in moving to Tampa, Florida, she needed to get all of her stuff and her car there, and so she was talking to Carl one day and said, how am I who drive a little bitty Volkswagen gonna get to Florida with all of my stuff and my Volkswagen? And with me and Landon, her nine year old boy in the car with her, she goes, and Carl said, let me talk to Ray, I think we can do that.
19:33
So that was great. Thank you, Carl. That's wonderful. I think he answered the question rightly when he talked to me. I thought, you know what?
19:40
In between here and Tampa are my folks. So I made a call, and I talked, I mentioned this a few weeks ago to y'all. I made a call and said, hey, I'm gonna be passing through town. And my best friend who passed away in March, Chad's daughter, wanted to be baptized. And so I got a chance to baptize her, two weeks ago on Sunday morning.
20:03
And I also had a chance to preach on Sunday evening at the church that I grew up in. And so all of my family members, however spread out they are, and a bunch of others. So I had my own little Thanksgiving on that trip. Y'all know I love to drive. It was good to be with Carl the whole time, And we could see God bless not just us, but through us as we went, and it was a really, really good time.
20:25
Last week, the next week, I was down in Mexico, and I got to hang out with a lot of people who speak Spanish. And I love to be in Mexico. I don't feel drawn back there, but I definitely love it while I'm there and to be able to just live out and not have it be my job just to be free to minister. It was fantastic. So I just wanna say thank you before I start today.
20:48
Thank you for Gary speaking. After Gary spoke on witnessing and evangelism, because that's who Gary is, right? He's born to be an evangelist. God birthed him again and made him an evangelist, and when he got up and spoke, after that, I've heard two different reports of people who went away from here that afternoon, spoke to other people about Jesus, and had them accept Christ. So for a pastor teacher, that warms my heart to see the body played out like that.
21:15
And then to see Ken and Lori McCune come in last week and speak about the heart of God for the stranger among us. I've been blown away by how good those messages fit in with what it is that God's doing throughout all this. So I'm gonna get into Philippians. I just wanna start off with a thank you very much, and it's good to see you again. It's great to be here.
21:36
So the last message that I preached was on this passage right here. It was 12 through 18, and I'm gonna read these and kind of ramp up to where we are. Y'all know that Paul was in prison when he was writing this in Rome, and he says, I want you to know brothers and sisters, brethren, that the things which happened to me which is him being arrested and put in put under custody and then transported and shipwrecked and rescued and then from Malta on to Italy and walking the Appian Way and all of this process that he walked out. Everything along that line which happened to me has actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. The Philippians at this point had been knowing Paul for about eleven years, ten, eleven, twelve years, somewhere in there, and they had been supportive of him in prayer.
22:33
They had welcomed him when he came back to visit him the second and the third time, and he was very deeply in love with the people of Philippi, the Christians in Philippi, and they loved him, and they were supportive of him. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that all the things which you probably heard about, which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. So it's become evident to the whole palace guard and to all of the rest of the folks too, that my chains are in Christ. Is is Paul a prosperity gospel guy?
23:07
Speaker 2No. No. He's in jail.
23:13
Speaker 1It's become evident to the whole palace guard because he was filled with joy in knowing Christ. And to all the rest that my chains, actually, I'm here because of Christ. And most of the brethren in the Lord, the other brothers and sisters in Jesus, having become confident by my very chains, they're even more bold to speak out the word without any fear. Some indeed do preach Christ. I'll give it to you.
23:39
Some do preach Christ from envy or from strife, and some also from goodwill, but the former ones preach Christ from selfish ambition and not sincerely, and they supposed to add affliction to my change. Now that does actually sound like the prosperity gospel folks, right? They preach out of envy and strife, and they preach for selfish ambition. It's not sincere. And then it adds affliction to those who are actually suffering.
24:05
Paul says that right there. Then he goes on, but the latter ones, those who preach out of goodwill, they preach that out of love, knowing that I have been appointed for the defense of the gospel. Now, Paul was awaiting his own trial, and he would normally, if you're awaiting trial, you're waiting to defend yourself, right? You're awaiting defending yourself of the charges. Paul was arrested for the riot.
24:30
He was arrested for a riot that was started over the gospel. Paul knows that what he's on trial for is not for himself. Paul's on trial is to put the gospel out there in front of everybody who will listen. Kings and governors, he's awaiting to defend the gospel. The latter is out of love, knowing that I have been appointed or I am appointed for defense of the gospel.
25:00
Well, what then? If there are these two different peoples that two different sets of people that are preaching for the wrong reasons and for the right reasons, what then? Only that in every way, whether it is in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached. And in this, I rejoice, and yes, I will rejoice. He was able to let go of the fact that some people were doing it for the wrong reasons.
25:24
Paul, in his confidence in Christ, and we'll go on, that's the message today. Paul was able to let that go. I put a bunch of different church titles, names, and logos up here a few weeks ago, and I know that there has been conflict in the church. I know that there's been conflict among the body of Christ in this valley, denominationally speaking and church body speaking, local church body speaking. But Paul was able to let go of all of that.
25:55
Just like that. Christ has preached, in this I rejoice, and yes, I will continue to rejoice. We ramp up and then we hit this. For I know this is the resolute statement of Paul. I know that all of this, whatever it is, all of their talking, whether it be from good motives or not, everything, it will turn out for my deliverance.
26:20
And he's speaking to the Philippians, so he says, it'll turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and through the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ. Do y'all get what this is right there? Are you seeing what that is? It's a missionary speaking to the people who have been supporting him, and he's saying, I know that all of this stuff that I've been through, and I'm turning that back on me right now. We were missionaries in Mexico for seven years.
26:48
It's a hot, dirty, smelly, where we lived at least, place. Filthy. I loved every minute of it. Tanya, if you ask her about it, she goes, it was so beautiful. I'm like, no.
27:06
It was not beautiful. It was beautiful to you because you have been sent there by God and you had a joy that was unspeakable. You were full of peace about being there but it was not pretty. I know that all this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ. Christ supplies for ministry to be done by the obedience of his people.
27:31
And so your prayer, listening to the spirit of Jesus Christ, will supply the needs of those who are serving him. And that's what Paul's talking about. I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of Jesus Christ according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed. He is in jail. And a lot of times, when we think of someone being in jail, shame is associated with that, right?
28:02
Paul's not shamed. He knows why he's there. It is all about what he's getting to in verse 21. He understands that that's where God has put him and nothing shall I be ashamed but with all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ will be magnified in my body whether by life or by death And so he says, at the beginning, he started up here saying, I know it'll turn out for my deliverance. What's the first thing you think of when you think of your deliverance?
28:36
The movie? Do you think of banjo music in the movie? No. Sorry. Deliverance.
28:40
No. You think of being delivered, being set free. Right? Getting out of jail. That's what you think Paul's talking about.
28:45
It will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and through the supply of Jesus Christ. No. No. No. No.
28:50
No. Ends that statement right there by life or by death. Either way, Christ will be magnified. As always, so now also, if you think about the last eleven years that Paul has spent or the last twenty or so years that Paul has spent, he has been shipwrecked and beaten. He's had all kinds of hard situations that he's been in, yet he continues to do it.
29:17
As always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body. He is stating a resolute fact. He has decided on this, and he's empowered by the spirit of God to walk in it, to continue it. So as always, so now also, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether it's by life or by death, and he's cool with either. He says that, for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
29:44
And that's where I wanna spend a little time this morning. This is the statement for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. You see is is in italics, and it's underlined right there. I did that to highlight that in Greek, that's not there. It's not the words aren't there.
30:00
Now it still means that. That's why we that's why we supply it. The King James, New King James Version supplies it in italics so you can see it. But I want you to examine this with me. For to me, infinitive, to live Christ and to die, gain.
30:19
It's it's a very succinct statement that governs everything that Paul does. Everything that Paul acts is by this belief. This is the foundational place that Paul builds off of. To live is Christ, and to die is gain. They're equal.
30:43
To live is Christ. To die is gain. Now I'll study it a couple of different ways in a minute, but looking at that, over these past few weeks when I didn't have to be in a pulpit, of course, when I'm in my hometown, if I'm there, I know that eventually I'm gonna get the call from the preacher. He's gonna say, why don't you just preach today? And if I don't get the call when I walk through the door, that's when he's gonna tell me.
31:06
So I plan on having something ready, you know. But I didn't have to be in the pulpit for the past couple of weeks, so I really tried to internalize this message. What does it say? What does it mean? How do you apply it to your life?
31:20
That's always our MO up here on Sunday morning. That's what I'm always trying to express. This is what it says. This is what it means if there's any clarification that needs to happen, and then how do we apply it to our lives? For to me is where it starts off.
31:37
Paul is expressing this to the Philippians in order to influence them certainly in the way that they live, I'm sure, but what he's saying in the middle of this passage is, I'm able to let that past go because of what I believe to me. To live is Christ. To die is gain. I'm able to let the future go because I know to die is gain. I'm not worried about what's gonna happen in the future.
32:01
It'll be my deliverance whether by life or by death. So I'm looking at this, and I'm thinking about it for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Day by day, I know that that's the way that I would answer that question. Hour by hour, is it the way I answer that question with my action? Minute by minute, is it?
32:25
For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. I wanna fill it out a little bit further. This that we're studying in Philippians is probably around '61, 62, somewhere in there, 60 to 60 '2. Galatians was probably it was much earlier than that. And this is a more filled out statement of what he's saying to live is Christ and to die is gain.
32:52
The reason that for Paul living was about Christ is because in the past, I have been crucified with Christ, Crucified together with, crucified in tandem. When Christ was nailed to that cross, and I'm united to him, I have been crucified with Christ. It's no longer I who lives, but it is Christ who lives out his life in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Amen.
33:22
So, if you add that verse and this verse, put those two together to me to live is Christ. Why? Because I've been crucified with him. I understand that my sin has no power over me because he died to pay for that sin. He breaks the power of canceled sin.
33:41
To live as Christ. It's not just to live out the fact that he's already saved me. It's to share with others that he can save them too. Dying is gain. The four to me kept coming back to me over and over and over this past couple weeks.
34:04
To die is gain. Well, we know that heaven, I've got a home in heaven for sure. They're in those mansions sublime. We've got we know that that is there's an incorruptible hope that Peter talks about. We know as Christians, we know that dying is gain.
34:20
I think that a lot of times this sermon always goes to the dying is gain part. I wanna talk more about the living is Christ part. To die is gain. But this is not when you add it to this and this, this is not Hamlet's soliloquy. Okay?
34:43
To be or not to be? To live or not to live? That's the question. Whether it is nobler in the mind as of the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. It's none of that.
34:54
It's not that. He's not saying I would rather die. He's saying to live is Christ, to die is gain. Now he goes further with this and he explains what he means, but he lands in one place. Okay?
35:07
He doesn't land on dying. He lands on living. My only point in this sermon, really, is to have you fill in the blanks for this for yourself. I want for you to take this with you. I want for you to take it in when we are about to do communion.
35:28
I want for you to answer these blanks. How do you honestly fill in these blanks? For to me, to live is blank than to die is blank. Now, I'll give you a minute while I look up a note, okay? Y'all think about those, think about how you would answer the question.
35:48
Paul has already given you the response, his answer. He's already given you this, and he is coaching us by his presentation of the gospel. For to me, to live is blank and to die is blank. The sermon really today, it's it's about life and death all the way through from the beginning to the end. It is a matter of life and death.
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It's not to be or not to be. It's not melancholy at all. He's not doing that thing where Hamlet just doesn't know what to do, and he just feels like it would be better to go, to end it. To me, to live is blank, to die is blank. Some of you might say, and when I say, what are you thankful for?
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And y'all said, family, health, jobs might have come up too. For me, to live is family, to die is something I don't wanna think about. For me, to live is to make money. To die is an unpleasant inevitability. You might be like Solomon in Ecclesiastes.
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I've had some very philosophical conversations with people that come in and say, to live is just meaningless. To die is my preoccupation because I don't know what's out there. Vanity of vanity, all is vanity. Paul is resolute to him to live as Christ and die is gain. He knows it.
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He settled the question. And because he settled the question, it's the governing principle of his life, and it has been now for some time. How you answer that question will make a difference for the rest of your life. In the first service, I I had to pray because I was so nervous to start with, and I just prayed, God, would you make this sermon as simple as it is, lord? Would you make this sermon make a difference from right now and for the rest of my life?
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That it's something that I'd remember for to me to live is blank and to die is blank. I got a few quotes from famous people here. To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, and that is all. Oscar Wilde.
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To live is to suffer. To survive is to find some meaning in that suffering. That's Nietzsche, Friedrich Nietzsche. He was right about that. To live is to suffer, but I don't think he found the meaning in that suffering.
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It's a great story. He was actually a pastor's son. That's a really, really great, heart, heart story. The secret of life is enjoying the passing of time, James Taylor. Our our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
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Martin Luther King Junior, he had answered this question too, by the way, to for him to live with Christ, to die was gain. Two most important days in your life are the day you're born and the day you find out why. I'm asking you to answer the question why by saying, for to me to live is blank. To die is blank. William Wallace, every man dies, but not every man lives.
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All right, we'll go on. That is the question for the day. If you get that question and you answer that question, I've done my job. If you answer it correctly, woo hoo, I've really done my job. I I at least want you to know what the answer is though for you.
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Be honest about it. What is it? So, Paul says that and then he says, but if I do live on in the
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Speaker 2flesh, if I do live,
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Speaker 1this will mean fruit from my labor. Why? Because to for to him to live as Christ, carrying the go spel message forward, telling about Jesus, living the life that is true like Jesus live, living in submission to the spirit. If I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor. Yet, what I shall choose, I cannot tell.
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I think that's a little rhetorical but yet, what I shall choose, I cannot tell. For I'm hard pressed between the two things, to live or to die. Having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better than being in prison in Rome. Right? To live is Christ.
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I'm hard pressed between the two, having a desire to part and be with Christ which is far better. Now, Paul had been stricken on the road to Damascus. He had seen Jesus. He'd seen a vision of him. He says he had been caught up and taken up into the heavens.
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He knows what heaven's like better than most any of us, I think. I'm hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ. I've seen him. I've seen heaven. I've seen what it's like.
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It's far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is what is more needful for you. So who is Paul thinking about? For himself, it would have been better to go on and be with Jesus. But he's not thinking about himself.
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He's thinking about them. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident that it's more needful for you, though I am hard pressed between the two, I am going to choose this. To remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And I know that I shall remain and I shall continue with all of y'all for your progress and for your joy of faith.
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You ever been in a church where people were not getting along? This is a letter to a church where there were some people who were not getting along. When he says y'all and all of y'all, when he says that so often and he talks about to all the saints who are in Christ, we'll we'll get to meet a couple of ladies before the end of the book. Euodia and Synty, they're not getting along. There tend to be factions that join around when people are not getting along.
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Well, he should have said this. Well, she shouldn't have said that. I'm on her side. I can't believe you're on her side. We're not friends anymore.
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It's very middle school. Have you ever been in church? Is it like that? Praise God. I don't see that very often here.
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Praise God. But this church that he's writing to needed to progress in their faith. They needed joy. They needed joy around Jesus, around Christ. They needed to answer the question, for to me to live is to be right or is it Christ?
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You answer it with Christ, you also get to be right. For me to live is Christ, to die is gain. I know that I shall remain. I shall live and I shall live Christ. Continue with y'all for your progress and your joy in the faith so that you're rejoicing from and that you're rejoicing for me may be even more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.
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I want to come see you. I'm stuck in this jail right now. I believe that God will deliver me. I want to come see you. I'm choosing life to live for your sake and since he couldn't see him, he was writing them and in the process, didn't he get to bless a whole lot more?
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He's blessed everybody who's ever read Philippians since then. Him being stuck, his circumstances were for the furtherance of the gospel, not just with the Praetorian Guard, but with me and with you. The place where I really, really, really started to understand who I was in Christ was studying Philippians. In that little church I got to preach in two weeks ago, sitting on the front row as a little Bible study of about seven people. We went through Philippians together, the mind of Christ, and it really makes a difference.
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So we're gonna come together for communion right now, but I wanna skip back to this. When you are taking communion, you're really answering this question. If you're not answering this question with Christ and gain, do you understand what you're doing here? Do you get this? If you're trusting in your own good works, if you're trusting in your own proper theology, if you're trusting in your own goodness, you don't understand what's going on here.
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Doing this in remembrance of him is to say, there is but one who has lived a perfect life and he is Jesus Christ, the anointed one of God, the Messiah. He is the one who could pay the penalty for sin and I have accepted him. I believe in him. He paid the penalty for sin for all those who would believe. For all of those who would answer this question to live is Christ.
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To die is gain. He gave his life as a ransom for many, all who will believe. We practice an open table here. So if you believe in Jesus, you are welcome to partake. I'm gonna give you a minute to pray before we distribute the elements and everything so that you could pray and just come to him confessing.
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If we're trusting in our goodness or our being right, for trusting in anything except for Jesus's life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, his whole process, the process of God made to pay for sin, then, would you with me right now just drop that? I'll give you a chance to pray. God, I pray that you would forgive me when I answer this question any other way. If I look away, if I deny you, I pray that you'd restore me and bring me back. I'm thankful that you say in your word that when we confess our sin, you're faithful and just to be forgiven us of all of our unrighteousness, our past, our present, our future, lord, but I wanna have that closeness of relationship with you that nothing gets between us, that there's no broken trust, that there's nothing.
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Lord, stand in in my way of understanding what it is that you would have me do. I am yours. I want to act like it. In Jesus name, Lord, I ask you to bless each one who would partake and for each one lord that must let this plate pass because that's not what they believe. I pray that you'd impress it upon them by the simple loving acts of those Christians around them that they'd be drawn into your family and into a place of saving faith.
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Amen. Can I get the frontline team to come forward? And Judy, would you play something pretty? God, would you bless these elements as we distribute them? This bread, lord, that's a symbol for Christ's body that's been broken for us on the cross of Calvary.
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Jesus name, amen. Y'all can go ahead. Tree
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Speaker 2sometimes it causes me to tremble tremble tremble were you there when
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Speaker 1on the same night that Jesus was betrayed, he took bread after supper and he told his disciples there with him. This is my body that is broken for you. Take this and eat and do it in remembrance of me. Lord Jesus, I praise you that this actually happened, that there is hope, that there is good news, that there is gospel. Lord, I thank you that you have, through your blood, the sacrifice of your blood, you have blessed each and everyone that would believe with gain at their death and with Christ anointing in their life.
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In Jesus name, Lord, we take you in. Lord, would you bless this cup, this little cup of grape juice that we distribute as a remembrance of the blood of Jesus that atones for sin. Amen.
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Speaker 2Sometimes it causes me
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Speaker 1Just like he had taken the bread, he took the cup after supper and he told his disciples and he tells us today that this is the new covenant in his blood. Take this and drink and do it as often as you will in remembrance of him. Amen. To live as Christ, to die is gain. Do we have a song?
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Blessed be the tie that binds us. Do you realize that there is nothing else that binds us together? Except this. Not this little plastic cup. The blood of Jesus.
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That's what binds us together no matter where we come from, what our background, the blood of Jesus will never lose its power and it is the tithe that binds. Would you stand up with us and we're going to be dismissed with this.
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Speaker 2Blessed be heed the time that binds our hearts in Christian love fellowship of kindred minds is like Amen.
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Speaker 1Beautiful. Thank you very much, Judy. And now, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. I don't know what you've been through. I don't have any idea what you've been through but I do know that whatever it is that you've been through, God can and will use to advance and further the kingdom of Christ.
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So, with that, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Since as members of one body, you are called to peace and be thankful. In Jesus name, go in peace. Amen.
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